Sports Mole looks at how Arne Slot’s Liverpool may line up for the friendly against Yokohama F Marinos on Wednesday, with Hugo Ekitike set for a debut in Japan.
Liverpool fans could get a glimpse of their new £79m striker Hugo Ekitike on Wednesday when the Reds face off against Yokohama F Marinos at Nissan Stadium.
The Frenchman did not take part against AC Milan on Saturday but he was with the squad, and with a few days of training under his belt, he could be in line to feature.
Arne Slot will be keen for his slew of signings to continue to develop their on-pitch chemistry, and the big-money centre-forward should feature alongside Mohamed Salah and 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha up top, with Florian Wirtz operating behind the trio.
In the centre of the park, Dominik Szboboszlai has stated his desire to play in a deeper role in 2025-26, and he could start with Alexis Mac Allister, who has returned to training following a minor injury.
Elsewhere, full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez will get minutes in Yokohama – as they have done in each of Liverpool’s pre-season games so far – though the versatile former Bayer Leverkusen star could line up as a winger rather than a traditional right-back.
The manager has frequently trialled players in different positions during these friendlies, and, just as Ryan Gravenberch started at centre-back at the weekend, young midfielder Luca Stephenson may join the back four on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Giorgio Mamardashvili will be keen to put the mix-up between himself and Kostas Tsimikas last time out into the distant past, and he should feature once again on Wednesday, though Freddie Woodman could also make a substitute appearance.
Harvey Elliott should participate despite speculation about his future, but the Reds will be without winger Luis Diaz as he has left the club’s camp to seal a £65.5m move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Stephenson, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Salah, Ekitike, Ngumoha
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