Liverpool vs Leicester City, 5.30pm, BT Sport 1

5starpool

Liverpool are missing Emre Can and Ragnar Klavan, but should have nearly everyone else to choose from for the first game of the season at an expanded Anfield for the visit of the champions.

Will Sturridge start is one of the key questions. I expect probably not unless Coutinho is deemed not ready to start after returning from the jungles of Brazil on Thursday morning, but I think it'll be similar to the Spurs game in terms of personnel.

Leicester have improved after their opening day loss to Hull and will be keen to improve before their champions league campaign starts on Wednesday. Will they have one eye on that trip to Belgium though?

It is hard to know what Liverpool team will turn up. Will it be the devastating attacking force, or the shambolic defence, or both even, or perhaps the wayward shoot from 30 yards but never get one on target team that often shows up also? They will have plenty of the ball anyhow, but whether they can get past Wes Morgan and co remains to be seen.

I'll go with 2-1 home win, but not with a huge amount of confidence.

mosstin

I'll be at this one and my recent record has been quite appalling so if we win, assume I'm ill and didn't make the match. :mad:

Harry Palmr

I think the Main Stand could cast a shadow over this game ::pac:

My team (well the one that I reckon will start)

---

Mignolet
Clyne-Matip-Lovren-Milner

---

Hendo--Wijn
--Mane---Lallana--Coutinho

---

Firmino

Karius, Moreno, Alexander-Arnold, Lucas, Grujic, Origi, Sturridge

OwaynOTT

I always thought Liverpool played better in the shade anyway

Grayditch

I think the new stand will put in a really good shift in a supporting role.

emo72

new stand. new sounds. who knows what will happen. liverpool win is good. hopefully liverpool win. liverpool win ftw.

PaddyWilliams

I don't think I can stand these stand puns any more.

BeepBeep67

PaddyWilliams wrote: »

I don't think I can stand these stand puns any more.

Would bring an extra tier to ones eye

Turtyturd

Third debut for Mane?

martyos121

5-1 to the champions.

The champions of being the best club in Liverpool

K-9

1-3 probably, if we're lucky. Sorry for grand standing.

applehunter

New stand if anything will make atmosphere at Anfield worse.

Expecting the negativity surrounding it to take up much of the after match coverage.

applehunter

applehunter wrote: »

...........
Expecting the negativity surrounding it to take up much of the after match coverage.

Is there much negativity?

Regarding match, would love to see Liverpool give Leicester a nice spanking...... without Can though and with the likely 3 #10s playing I don't see it unless Hendo and/or Wij' really have a MOM perfromance and we are also clinical.

Would like to see Origi start with Firmino behind him, either Lallana or Coutinho benched, Coutinho I suppose after his travel exertions. Sturridge on at 60 mins or so than depending how things are going. Or Sturridge start with Firmino, remote chance of that though perhaps.

Grayditch

Negativity about the new stand?!

Osmosis Jones

Leicester are 9/2 to win for some reason, they're not missing anyone are they?

Harry Palmr

applehunter wrote: »

New stand if anything will make atmosphere at Anfield worse.

Expecting the negativity surrounding it to take up much of the after match coverage.

8000 more worst fans in the world.

BullBlackNova

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I think the Main Stand could cast a shadow over this game ::pac:

My team (well the one that I reckon will start)

---

Mignolet
Clyne-Matip-Lovren-Milner

---

Hendo--Wijn
--Mane---Lallana--Coutinho

---

Firmino

Karius, Moreno, Alexander-Arnold, Lucas, Grujic, Origi, Sturridge

I reckon you're spot on with this. I think until Can is fit again, this is the side we'll see. And then it'll just be Can for Wijn...

As for today, I'm not sure how we'll go. We're hard to predict, as are Leicester really. Major worry is if Mahrez is on form today he's coming up against Milner at LB - Milner could do well at LB, I don't know, but this won't be an easy evening for him.

I'm very excited though - was away for August so this is the first live game I'll get to see this season. Cannot friggin' wait!!

J Mysterio

Wijn just doesnt work as a nickname or abbreviation.

Can we settle on Wijno?

8-10

J Mysterio wrote: »

Wijn just doesnt work as a nickname or abbreviation.

Can we settle on Wijno?

He's trying his best to steal the little magician nickname....

Polo_Mint

Leicester to win 3-2

J Mysterio

3-1 Liverpool

marklazarcovic

1-1

5starpool

Harry Palmr wrote: »

8000 more worst fans in the world.

Well, there is a good chance we'll see a lot of the new seats in the middle tier anyhow empty the 5 mins before and after half time as they go to collect their prawn sandwiches from the prawn sandwich butler there probably is.

NukaCola

2-2 draw....

8-10

2-0 home win, Firmino with both

BullBlackNova

J Mysterio wrote: »

Wijn just doesnt work as a nickname or abbreviation.

Can we settle on Wijno?

I think it'll all depend on how he plays.

Playing badly? Wijny.

Playing well/creating magic? Gini.

It just writes itself, lads.

murpho999

Is today time for Liverpool to stand and deliver?

8-10

murpho999 wrote: »

Is today time for Liverpool to stand and deliver?

3/10

5starpool

8-10 wrote: »

3/10

Those are pretty mean odds.

OwaynOTT

What I want to know is, how will the new stand affect operation Anfield exercise?

DJIMI TRARORE

Too many stupid points being dropped already, start studge and get our only natural goalscorer on for the whole game

martyos121

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

Too many stupid points being dropped already, start studge and get our only natural goalscorer on for the whole game

I would've thought Firmino starting would be a given.

BorneTobyWilde

Can see an easy victory. Could be 5-0 Liverpool here.
I think we will be great today.

sabat

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Can see an easy victory. Could be 5-0 Liverpool here.
I think we will be great today.

I'm quietly confident too, though not to that extent. More like 4-1 or 4-2

5starpool

Lovren injured, Lucas starts! Coutinho on the bench.

#LFC XI to face #LCFC: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lucas, Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Lallana, Mane, Firmino, Sturridge

#LFC bench today: Karius, Klavan, Moreno, Stewart, Grujic, Coutinho, Origi

Osmosis Jones

Lucas starts at the back, Lovren and Klavan injured, Sakho not in the squad.

5starpool

I can't see us keeping a clean sheet, although Lucas is boss. Short of match practice though. Hopefully we'll just outscore them anyhow.

livinginkorea

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Lucas starts at the back, Lovren and Klavan injured, Sakho not in the squad.

Probably still not match fit yet.

YouTookMyName

Half the back 4 consisting of two midfielders. Up the fúckin' Reds

Harry Palmr

So the rumours were true, who's the mole?

livinginkorea

5starpool wrote: »

I can't see us keeping a clean sheet, although Lucas is boss. Short of match practice though. Hopefully we'll just outscore them anyhow.

I recon that's the plan this season. Will give us all several heart attacks.

Osmosis Jones

Only reason Sturridge is playing is because if Coutinho was in ahead of him we'd be starting 8 midfielders and that just sounds a little bit too mental.

BorneTobyWilde

My name is Lucas
I play in the back four
I play behind you
I guess you've seen me play there before

Agent Coulson

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Only reason Sturridge is playing is because if Coutinho was in ahead of him we'd be starting 8 midfielders and that just sounds a little bit too mental.

And Coutinho only got back from Brazil on Thursday night I think.

5starpool

Agent Coulson wrote: »

And Coutinho only got back from Brazil on Thursday night I think.

Thursday morning, but it was a very long trip from Manaus in the middle of the jungle.

DJIMI TRARORE

Studge hat trick and back on bench next week, 3-2 to the reds

5starpool

5starpool wrote: »

Lovren injured, Lucas starts! Coutinho on the bench.

#LFC XI to face #LCFC: Mignolet, Clyne, Matip, Lucas, Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Lallana, Mane, Firmino, Sturridge

.....

Good man Klopp

coutinho's travel may have forced his hand a bit but great to see Firmino not being the loan striker.

Sturridge more than due a goal too so he needs to deliver at least one imo should the chances arrive.

Lucas at CB with Milner at LB could see us ran ragged though, Matip will have organising to do which is an opportunity too of course for him to marshall that back 4.

Charlie19

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

Studge hat trick and back on bench next week, 3-2 to the reds

Come on now. He very rarely scores more than once in a game.

citytillidie

I don't like that they have taken the red away again from the goals

citytillidie

Is that camera angle higher

Utopia Parkway

The new camera angle at Anfield is freaking me out.