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Liverpool concludes its Asia tour this pre-season with a game against Yokohama Marinos in Japan. And once that fixture is taken care of, the Reds will return to the UK to continue preparations for the new season from home.
Last time out, Arne Slot's side lost 4-2 at the hands of AC Milan. This time, though, the Liverpool head coach has a few more options available to him. We could, for example, see the first glimpse of what Hugo Ekitike can bring to the table at the Nissan Stadium.
In the Milan clash, Florian Wirtz and Harvey Elliott started as a kind of front two. Here, though, Slot has two number nines available in Ekitike and the no longer injured Darwin Nunez.
It is possible that we might see Wirtz play as a number 10 behind one of those two, and then Elliott coming on in a similar position if they are in separate teams. And we should be able to see more of Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni too.
Alisson Becker will not be involved in the game as he has returned home from the tour for personal reasons. Giorgi Mamardashvili is likely to come into the starting XI as a result, with Freddie Woodman and Armin Pecsi possible options to get minutes as well.
At center-back, Liverpool is a little light. The Japanese locals will be desperate to see Wataru Endo, though, and he has been talked up as someone who can slot in at the back in some quarters.
Virgil van Dijk could partner Endo with Andy Robertson or Milos Kerkez playing left-back and Conor Bradley or Jeremie Frimpong at right-back. Frimpong, so far, has often been used as a winger, however.
In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch might be able to move back into his favored role if there are enough other options at the heart of the Liverpool defense, where he filled in against Milan. Dominik Szoboszlai will get more minutes too.
Alexis Mac Allister has returned from injury and was in training with his teammates this week, but he might not be ready for any match action just yet. Curtis Jones looked sharp last time out, though, and there are Wirtz and Nyoni to fit in somewhere.
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Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo are options on the left while Mohamed Salah will play on the right. The two strikers, with Nunez back from injury, were referenced earlier, and Ben Doak should feature alongside them.
Against Milan, Luis Diaz sat the game out because he was closing in on a transfer move to Bayern Munich, which could be confirmed at some point today.
This time, Tyler Morton is attracting interest from Lyon, according to The Times, while Nunez, Elliott and others have possibilities in terms of an exit before the end of the window. Should anyone miss out here, that could be a hint that movement is nearing.
Liverpool will take on Athletic Club in a double-header at Anfield on Monday. After that, it takes on Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley, which is the only other game before the new Premier League season begins.
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