Liverpool continued their preparations for the season with a disappointing friendly loss to Monaco at Anfield on Sunday. Alexander Isak gave the Reds the lead and then claimed a touch on the second along with Florian Wirtz, only for a raft of substitutions to weaken the home team and send them tumbling to a 3-2 reverse.<\/p>\n
Andoni Iraola's side will complete their warm-up programme with an Anfield friendly against Como on Sunday evening after a game between the second string of both teams earlier in the day at the AXA Training Centre.<\/p>\n
And here we look ahead to the changes Reds head coach Iraola could make when his team are next in action.<\/p>\n
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With the game coming just a week before the Premier League season starts at Newcastle United, Iraola will want to field a team as close as possible to the one that will step out on Tyneside.<\/p>\n
Iraola is hopeful \u00a360million centre-back signing Jeremy Jacquet will have his first minutes as a Liverpool player having not quite been ready to return after his shoulder operation earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
But such an extended spell on the sidelines means the Frenchman is unlikely to be in the XI at Newcastle, suggesting imminent loan arrival Ronald Araujo may line up against Como alongside Virgil van Dijk in preparation for a likely instant debut the following weekend.<\/p>\n
Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni remain absent, and while teenager Ifeanyi Ndukwe has hugely impressed during recent friendlies, he is ineligible to play competitively for Liverpool until next season.<\/p>\n
Wataru Endo, though, was compelled to feature at centre-back for the second half on Sunday and will be on standby to reprise the role.<\/p>\n
In goal, Alisson Becker is the clear first choice ahead of Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman, and while Kostas Tsimikas has been given extended minutes at left-back this pre-season, Milos Kerkez is Iraola's preferred option.<\/p>\n
The injuries to Conor Bradley and Gomez mean Jeremie Frimpong is the sole available senior right-back, although the incoming Araujo can also play in the position. Youngsters Luke Chambers and Calvin Ramsay were involved against Monaco but should see any minutes limited.<\/p>\n
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Iraola's midfield options are poised to increase with Alexis Mac Allister having now returned to the AXA Training Centre after his World Cup exertions and Curtis Jones expected to be available after missing out against Monaco with a minor hip complaint.<\/p>\n
The Liverpool head coach, though, has previously indicated Mac Allister won't be ready to start at Newcastle and can perhaps expect bench duty at best on Sunday.<\/p>\n