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Liverpool fans online were left annoyed after Naby Keita was not present in the matchday squad for their game against Manchester United in the Premier League on Monday (August 22).
According to The Times' journalist Paul Joyce, the Guinean midfielder is injured and therefore not part of the team.
Jurgen Klopp has instead named a midfield three of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Harvey Elliott. The club captain will most likely be deployed as a defensive midfielder with Fabinho only making it to the bench.
Here is Liverpool's starting XI for their game against Manchester United:
Keita has been in the news recently due to his contract situation at the club. As things stand, the former RB Leipzig midfielder has entered the final year of his contract with no advancements in negotiations.
According to Empire of Kop, the negotiations have stalled as Keita wants regular game time at Anfield.
Reds fans believe that Keita should leave the club and not sign a contract extension after missing out on the game against the Red Devils. Some supporters have even questioned the inclusion of James Milner.
Here are a few tweets from concerned Liverpool fans in that regard:
It is worth mentioning that the game at Old Trafford is crucial for both teams. As things stand, both sides are winless in the league. Manchester United have lost both of their opening two games, against Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.
Liverpool, on the other hand, have drawn both of their league games so far this season. The Reds failed to beat Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Liverpool have the bragging rights over Manchester United in recent times
Liverpool and Manchester United are two of the biggest clubs in English football. However, the Reds have dominated their rivals in the past few meetings.
This was in full effect during their two league meetings last season. Jurgen Klopp's side won both of their games last season with an aggregate score of 9-0.
The Reds secured an emphatic 5-0 win over United at Old Trafford. Naby Keita played an integral part in that game, scoring once and assisting one goal. They followed that up with a 4-0 win at Anfield towards the end of last season. Mohamed Salah was also in great form, scoring five goals in those two games.
Liverpool have also won a plethora of trophies in the past few seasons, something Manchester United haven't been able to achieve. The Red Devils last won a major trophy back in 2017 when they won the UEFA Europa League under Jose Mourinho.
The Merseyside outfit, on the other hand, lifted the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup last season.
