The international break is over and the teamsheets carry the first drama of the night. Liverpool, stripped of several established forwards, hand Lewis Koumas a first Premier League start against Manchester City, while Enzo Maresca keeps faith with the side that beat Sunderland 5-3.
Liverpool reshuffle after attacking absences
- Andoni Iraola has been forced into changes after the absences of Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike weakened his attacking options.
- Wales forward Lewis Koumas, born in 2005 and aged 21, is selected from the start for his first Premier League appearance in the starting XI.
- Koumas is set to lead the Liverpool attack, with Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Victor Munoz operating around him.
- Ryan Gravenberch joins Alexis Mac Allister in midfield after Dominik Szoboszlai was ruled out.
- Jérémy Jacquet retains his place in central defence.
Maresca makes one change for Manchester City
City arrive with a largely unchanged side following their 5-3 victory over Sunderland before the break. Maresca has made only one alteration, bringing Nico O’Reilly in at left-back for Josko Gvardiol.
Ayyoub Bouaddi, despite recent encouraging displays, begins among the substitutes. Enzo Fernandez and Eliot Anderson are preferred as the midfield pairing.
Expected systems
Both sides are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Liverpool’s evening will centre on whether Koumas can seize an unexpected opportunity at the sharp end, while City seek another result without disrupting a winning structure.
