Preview: Liverpool v Leeds United
We look at Saturday's opening fixture.
Leeds United's Premier League season gets underway on Saturday (5:30pm) as the Whites travel to take on reigning champions Liverpool. It is Leeds United's first game in the top-flight for 16 years, after the Whites won the 2019/20 Sky Bet Championship, in a memorable campaign during the club's centenary season. Saturday's meeting will be the 118th between the two sides and there have been some famous clashes down the years. Leeds clinched the First Division title at Anfield in 1969, defeated the Reds in the 1992 Charity Shield and who can forget Mark Viduka's four goal in the memorable 4-3 victory at Elland Road back in 2000?
Manager/head coach
Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp
Leeds United: Marcelo Bielsa
2019/20 league position
Liverpool: 1st (Premier League)
Leeds United: 1st (Championship)
2019/20 Top scorer
Liverpool: Mohamed Salah (23)
Leeds United: Patrick Bamford (16)
Head to head
Liverpool wins: 51
Draws: 31
Leeds United wins: 28
Last time at Anfield
Tuesday 29th November 2016
League Cup
Liverpool 2 (Origi 76, Woodburn 81)
Leeds United 0
Team news
Adam Forshaw is set to miss Saturday's game as he steps up his comeback from injury. There could be debuts for new signings Robin Koch and Rodrigo who recently returned from international duty with Germany and Spain respectively. Liverpool have doubts over Jordan Henderson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Kostas Tsimikas, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to return after missing the FA Community Shield final, after featuring for England over the international break.
The key battle
Roberto Firmino v Liam Cooper
So often for Liverpool, when Firmino plays well, so do Mo Salah and Sadio Mane as part of the three in attack for the Reds. Captain Cooper will be looking to break up that play when he comes up against the Liverpool forward.
Officials
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant referee 1: Stuart Burt
Assistant referee 2: Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Michael Dean
Latest odds
Liverpool: 3/10
Draw: 9/2
Leeds United: 8/1
(Odds correct at time of article published)
How to watch or listen
Saturday's game will be shown live on Sky Sports. Live audio commentary available on LUTV, CLICK HERE for more information.
