Premier League 2019/20: Liverpool's ideal starting XI

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

As the Champions of Europe reconvene to start the forthcoming season, the club morale is at an all-time high. Fresh from being crowned Kings of the continent, Liverpool will look to build on their exploits from last season as they covet domestic glory that has eluded them for 29 years now.

The riches of the Premier League have been shown like never before as the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal have spent big money to add quality players to the squad.

As many as 10 clubs have shattered their transfer records this summer, which is the most startling example yet of the power of Premier League money.

In stark contrast to their domestic rivals, Jurgen Klopp's men have been uncharacteristically quiet in the transfer market, keeping their activity to a minimum.

Teenagers Harvey Elliot and Sepp van den Berg have been snapped up with one eye on the future and the club have also recruited free agent Adrian to replace the outgoing Simon Mignolet.

Klopp went in to the summer with the aim of retaining the squad that won club football's biggest prize and he is reportedly more than happy with the options he's got at his disposal.

As Liverpool look to mount another title challenge in an attempt to dethrone Manchester City in the Premier League summit, let's look at their ideal starting XI for the forthcoming season.


Alisson Becker

Alisson Becker enjoyed an outstanding debut season in England
Alisson Becker enjoyed an outstanding debut season in England

When Alisson Becker was signed for a world record fee at the time, eyebrows were raised as Liverpool agreed a deal worth a staggering £66 million to acquire his services.

13 months in to his Liverpool career, he has already established himself as one of the best in the business and has vindicated his transfer fee in some style.

The Brazilian was the standout goalkeeper in the Premier League as Liverpool registered the best defensive record in Europe's top-five leagues, with 22 clean sheets in the league.

The 26-year-old continued to grow in stature as the season progressed and made multiple crucial saves as Liverpool sealed an historic sixth European Cup.

Alisson capped off an incredible season for club and country by becoming the first player in the history of the game to win the golden glove in the Premier League, Copa America and the Champions League in the same season.

His form between the sticks will be vital for Liverpool if they are to mount another title challenge.

Also check out: Premier League Premier League Table Champions League table

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent Alenxander-Arnold's boyhood dream came true last season
Trent Alenxander-Arnold's boyhood dream came true last season

Trent Alexander-Arnold's meteoric rise to stardom is a fairy-tale story in itself and the youngster is a role model for any up and coming footballer.

The Scouser rose through the ranks at the academy and played a starring role as he won the Champions League with his boyhood club, just over two years after making his debut.

Speaking after the final in Madrid, Alexander-Arnold could hardly put in to words what he had just accomplished but he summed it up perfectly.

"I'm just a normal lad from Liverpool whose dream has just come true!"

At the age of 20, he broke the all time Premier League record for most assists recorded by a defender in a single season, registering a staggering 12 assists.

He is widely regarded as one of the best full-backs in world football at the moment and his crossing ability in particular has been subject of widespread praise.

As Liverpool begin preparations for the new season, Alenxander-Arnold will have his own record in sight as he aims to win the Premier League with his beloved club.

Joe Gomez

Barcelona v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Semi Final: First Leg
Barcelona v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Semi Final: First Leg

Joe Gomez started the 2018/19 season alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defense and the Liverpool rear-guard looked imperious with the young Englishman at the back.

The Merseyside giants were unbeaten in league when Gomez started and barring an unfortunate injury, the 22-year-old was all set to finish the season as one of Liverpool's standout players.

Joel Matip was drafted in as his replacement and although the Cameroonian impressed in his absence, Gomez looks set to regain his spot for the season opener against Norwich.

The fact that the England international was preferred to Matip in the FA Community Shield is a further indication of how highly rated he is by Jurgen Klopp.

Gomez is one for the present as much as he is for the future and the Englishman can firmly establish himself as one of the best defenders in the league if he manages to stay clear of injuries.

Virgil van Dijk

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

Virgil van Dijk's exploits over the last 18 months have been extraordinary to say the least. The Dutchman was a key player as Liverpool won the European Cup and produced one of the most dominant individual seasons by a center-half in Premier League history.

His performances were recognized by his peers as he became the first defender since John Terry in 2005 to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

The 28-year-old has transformed Liverpool's back-line almost single-handedly and the fact that he's in the picture for the Ballon d'Or is definitive proof of his world class status.

If Liverpool are to end their 30-year wait for a league title, van Dijk will have to be at his best once again and marshal Liverpool's rear-guard.

He is one of the first names on the team sheet and an indispensable member of Jurgen Klopp's set-up.

Andy Robertson

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

Andy Robertson, Liverpool's working class hero, is another player who has had an astronomical rise in the past 18 months.

The Merseyside club capitalized on Hull City's relegation and snapped up the Scotsman for a measly £8 million.

In hindsight, it could go down as one of the biggest bargain's in the club's history.

Robertson was made to wait in the sidelines for his chance and although he featured sporadically, he got the opportunity of his lifetime in January 2018 which he grasped with both arms.

Alberto Moreno's injury presented him with a chance to stake his claim for the left-back spot and the 25-year-old made it count in some style.

The consistency in his performances coupled with his ability to combine the best of both worlds on the pitch made him a vital cog in Jurgen Klopp's system.

Robertson is a European Champion and the captain of the Scottish national side less than two years since his Liverpool debut, which is a testament to his work-ethic.

The Scotsman is one of Klopp's most trusted lieutenants and alongside Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool boast two of the most exciting full-backs in world football.

Fabinho

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

Liverpool had lacked a pedigreed central midfielder since Javier Mascherano departed to Barcelona in 2010.

Eight years after the Argentinian's departure, Liverpool finally found a replacement in the summer of 2018.

Fabinho was the leading candidate on a three-man shortlist of defensive midfielders and Klopp wasted no time in bringing the Brazilian to Anfield.

Although the 25-year-old is an indispensable member of the first-team currently, his journey to establish himself as the man for the job was anything but plain-sailing.

The former Monaco man struggled to come to terms with the pace of football in England and faced a lengthy spell on the sidelines to equip himself for the task in hand.

Once he was re-introduced to the team, the Brazilian slotted in seamlessly and went on to become a mainstay in the center of the park.

Fabinho was key player in Liverpool's Champions League triumph and the £40 million transfer fee looks more like a bargain with every passing day.

Having established himself as a pivotal figure in this Liverpool team, Klopp will be counting on his midfield destroyer to have another strong campaign as the Reds look to build on their second-placed finish.

Naby Keita

Liverpool v Man City - FA Community Shield
Liverpool v Man City - FA Community Shield

Liverpool's midfield lacked creativity for large parts of last season and it could be argued that Naby Keita could have added some much needed spark in the center of the park.

The 24-year-old showed glimpses of his potential last season but his Liverpool career so far has been a stop-start journey, owing to a combination of injuries and inconsistency.

Keita's close control and his ability to maneuver in tight spaces will be invaluable for the Reds in the forthcoming season as they look to give Manchester City a run for their money again.

The Guinean midfielder's period of adaption is now behind him and Liverpool will be counting on him and Oxlade-Chamberlain to deliver the goods.

The pair have it in their lockers to provide the creative spark from midfield and if Liverpool get their combination right, their midfield could well allow them to control games and add another dimension to their game-play.

Jordan Henderson

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

Despite dividing opinion as a player and a captain, Jordan Henderson won the hearts of fans and pundits alike with his performances in the season run-in for Liverpool.

The Liverpool captain was restored to his preferred box-to-box midfield role, a self intimated change as revealed by the manager and it turned out to be a masterstroke.

In the business end of the season, Fabinho sealed his place in the center of the park and Henderson's qualities were deemed perfect for one of the free midfield roles in front of the Brazilian.

The 28-year-old also contributed with goals and assists in the title run-in, most notably coming on against Southampton and producing a match-winning cameo.

Klopp's unwavering faith in his captain means he's an automatic starter for the forthcoming season and the former Sunderland man will have to be at his best if Liverpool are to topple Manchester City.

Mohamed Salah

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool's talisman over the past two seasons, winning the Premier League golden boot in both his seasons at the club.

The Egyptian super-star broke the all time record for most goals scored in a Premier League season in 2018 by registering 32 goals, an astonishing number in his first year at the club.

The 27-year-old topped off his 32 goal season by scoring 22 in the league the following season, sharing the golden boot with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and teammate Sadio Mane.

Although the former Roma man did not hit the heights of his first season at the club, he was still Liverpool's most potent attacker and played a key role as the Merseyside club went on to win the Champions League.

In the Champions League final in Madrid, Salah stepped up and scored from the spot to put Liverpool ahead, capping off another incredible season on a personal level.

The Egyptian will look to carry on from where he left off last season as he aims to win a hat-trick of Premier League golden boots.

Roberto Firmino

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final

Roberto Firmino is arguably Jurgen Klopp's most important player and the German's glowing recommendation of his front-man in 2017 sums up the situation perfectly.

"Mohamed Salah, world class, but not every day. Sadio Mane, world class, but not every day. Roberto Firmino, world class, pretty much every day."

The Brazilian won the Champions League with Liverpool and spearheaded Brazil to their first Copa America crown since 2007, thereby capping off a sensational season for club and country.

Having returned to training last week, the 27-year-old scored in his only pre-season outing against Lyon and looked sharp against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Firmino's tireless work-ethic and his unselfishness brings the best out of Mane and Salah, making him an indispensable member of the side.

With the Reds chasing their maiden Premier League crown, Klopp will be hoping Firmino is at his brilliant best in order to facilitate the title-charge.

Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane was played an instrumental role as Liverpool won the Champions League
Sadio Mane was played an instrumental role as Liverpool won the Champions League

After winning the Premier League Golden Boot and the Champions League with Liverpool, Sadio Mane came agonizingly close to international glory as Senegal were beaten in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations by Algeria.

Mane's absence was felt by the Reds as Divock Origi was largely ineffective from the left-flank against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield.

His return will come as a much needed boost for the Reds as they aim to start the season on the right note.

The explosive winger was one of Jurgen Klopp's first major signings at the club and you could make the case that he's been one of the most reliable performers under the German.

After enjoying his most prolific season in the Premier League with 22 goals, Mane will look to better his tally as the Reds aim to compete on all fronts next season.

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Edited by Aaditya Narayan
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