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Liverpool line-ups vs Monaco as Ngumoha and Munoz decisions made

· Ian Doyle; Mark Jones · 2026-08-09 · nguồn gốc

Not long now, folks. The real stuff is only a fortnight away when Liverpool begin the new Premier League season at Newcastle United. Before then, though, come two final pre-season friendlies, both of which are at Anfield. Italian side Como visit next week as part of a double-header - the first game is being played at the AXA Training Centre behind closed doors - while this afternoon sees Ligue 1 outfit Monaco in town. With only Alexis Mac Allister still to return and potential new loan signing Ronald Araujo expected for a medical, new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola otherwise has all his fit players available. But how should the Reds line up for their penultimate warm-up fixture? Our ECHO writers take a look... Ian Doyle With Liverpool's new senior signings having not yet been available, it has been very much a case of the new era looking very much like the old in terms of personnel for Andoni Iraola. But the nearer we get to the big kick-off, the more matters will take shape. What, then, is the Reds boss to do? Alisson Becker returned to training last week so can start between the sticks, and the case must be made for going reasonably as close to the potential starting line-up at Newcastle as possible, which means Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong at left-back and right-back respectively and Virgil van Dijk at centre-back. Alongside the captain, though, there are issues, and there's a call for Ryan Gravenberch for this one, not least as it would give the impressive Trey Nyoni a run-out in central midfield alongside Dominik Szoboszlai. Florian Wirtz is the number 10. And up top, Alexander Isak leads the line with new boy Victor Munoz given a bow on the left and Rio Ngumoha switched to the right. Expect to see Cody Gakpo among those given significant minutes also. My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Gravenberch, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Nyoni; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Munoz; Isak. Mark Jones None of Alisson, Virgil van Dijk or Cody Gakpo made it to the USA so all three of them must be desperate to get on the pitch, so all should get starts here. One of the key questions is who will partner the captain at the back, and with Ronald Araujo not quite signed up just yet and Luke Chambers likely to depart on loan, there could be a case for Mor Talla Ndiaye to get to learn from the master Van Dijk up close. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez can then build up some minutes as the first choice full-backs. A Ryan Gravenberch-Trey Nyoni midfield would be interesting to see, with Dominik Szoboszlai left out from the start and coming on for the second half, perhaps with the captain's armband. Victor Munoz will have to be patient as Rio Ngumoha then plays on the right of the attack with Gakpo on the left, and then the all-important Florian Wirtz-Alexander Isak double act gets another go through the middle. The Reds will be banking on them to start the season sharply. My team (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Frimpong, Ndiaye, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Nyoni; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page