Liverpool team vs Yokohama Marinos confirmed as Hugo Ekitike and Darwin Nunez decisions made

Liverpool plays its second and final game on tour in Asia today, taking on Yokohama Marinos at the Nissan Stadium in Japan. And Arne Slot has named his starting XI to face the J-League side.

Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez are both absent. The former has returned to the UK for personal reasons, while the latter is injured. Slot does not expect Gomez to be out for long but it was decided that he was best served recovering on Merseyside.

With Alisson missing, Giorgi Mamardashvili starts in goal. In front of the Georgian is a back four of Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez.

Ryan Gravenberch returns to his usual midfield berth while Dominik Szoboszlai is alongside him. Curtis Jones is among the substitutes who will feature later.

Alexis Mac Allister is back in training now and makes the bench, despite him not long being over the injury that sidelined him at the end of last season.

Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz will get the chance to improve their chemistry again alongside Cody Gakpo, while Hugo Ekitike makes his debut in attack. The French U21 international arrived last week for a fee of around $106 million (£79 million).

Darwin Nunez, who missed the AC Milan game because of injury returns to the bench. Rio Ngumoha, who has started every pre-season game so far on the left flank, is also among the subs.

"Last season, we came back with a new manager," Konate told the Reds' official website this week. "He had a very good idea and he said before the season started what we have to do to win the Premier League.

"We just followed what he said and at the end, we had a good result for the club. I think this season will be more difficult.

"For sure, we are happy, and we don’t have to forget last season, but we have to take the good parts of last season as well as the bad parts where we did not really [play] great, and work on that.

"We were champions last season but it’s finished now. We have to go again and try to do something even better than last season.

"That’s why the pre-season is very important. I know it’s very difficult for everyone, but we need these tough sessions to be ready for the season."

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