"Really hope this isn't the real team" "Klopp is losing the plot" - Liverpool fans lose their minds as attacker drops to the bench for Manchester City clash

Liverpool have announced their starting lineup for the Premier League clash with Manchester City and fans are disappointed to see Darwin Nunez on the bench. The Reds host the reigning league champions at Anfield today in a crunch encounter between two modern-day rivals of English football.

However, while the Sky Blues have continued from they left off last season, Jurgen Klopp's troops have declined, winning only two of their opening eight games.

Liverpool enter today's match on the back of three winless matches and could potentially drop more points against an in-form City side led by the peerless Erling Haaland.

The home fans are fearing exactly that after seeing Darwin Nunez on the bench as they feel the Merseysiders will have their task cut out without him. Having joined on a club-record fee of £85 million from Benfica in the summer, Nunez hasn't enjoyed the best start to his Liverpool career, scoring only four goals in 10 games, including two in the league from five games.

However, the Uruguayan makes a huge difference off the ball and brings so much pace to his side's attack. Liverpool fans were absolutely baffled by Klopp's decision to bench him, with some hoping that it wasn't their real starting lineup.

Here are some of the best fan reactions on Twitter:

Liverpool's title hopes could effectively end today with a defeat to Manchester City

With just two wins and eight points from eight games, Liverpool are currently trailing leaders Arsenal by 17 points and second-placed Manchester City by 15.

Should the Reds succumb to another defeat today, it would effectively end their hopes of mounting another title challenge. Klopp, in his pre-match press conference, conceded that his team aren't in the race this season, and that assumption would gain more substance if Liverpool fail to win today.