The Premier League returns this weekend as Liverpool get their season underway this Saturday (14th) against newly promoted Norwich City at a capacity Carrow Road, with kick off at 5:30pm.
Daniel Farke was able to guide Norwich to the promised land as Sky Bet Championship winners for the second time in his tenure, and the challenge will now be to maintain their first-tier status beyond May and avoid consecutive one-season stays in the Premier League.
The Reds' positive record against their hosts in recent years will only serve as further impetus to get their title charge off to the best start possible.
They will have to do so without left back Andy Robertson, who sustained damage to ligaments in a pre-season friendly against Athletic Bilbao in an ever-revolving merry-go-round of injury crises for the Anfield club.
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Team news
Norwich’s preparations for their first Premier League fixture in 13 months have hit a few bumps in the road with some key talent likely to miss out.
After rolling his ankle, Todd Cantwell will grab the headlines as a possible absent star having missed his side’s 3-0 friendly loss to Newcastle.
Like Robertson, his boss Farke confirmed strain was done to his ligaments in the lead up to the game, and he will likely miss out alongside six possible other players.
A coronavirus outbreak in Norwich’s camp left Grant Hanley, Onel Hernandez, Jordan Hugill, Przemyslaw Placheta, Bali Mumba and Milot Rashica forced to isolate and consequently missed the Newcastle game, with the above players' fitness questionable as the former is yet to play a game for his club this season.
Finnish striker Teemu Pukki is in contention for a start against Liverpool despite coming off a full season, competing in the European Championships with an ankle ligament injury sandwiched between.
Andy Robertson is reported to be out for “a matter of weeks, not months” according to The Athletic’s James Pearce after the Scotland captain sustained ankle ligament damage in a friendly against Athletic Bilbao.
Kostas Tsimikas is expected to fill the large void left by Robertson, but nonetheless arrives in red-hot pre-season form after failing to make any notable impact since joining the club last summer.
Curtis Jones too will be unable for selection after picking up a concussion against Osasuna when he crashed into the visitor's dugout area.
Jurgen Klopp will nonetheless have the ability to call upon returning centre back duo Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for their first competitive showings for over half a year through injury.
Questions on their full match fitness remain despite steady escalation of their minutes in preparation for Saturday’s match, with new signing Ibrahima Konate, another of Liverpool’s pre-season starlets, and Joel Matip expected to start.
Liverpool's selection dilemma is not exclusive to the defence, with Harvey Elliott, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all given Klopp much to ponder ahead of the start of the Premier League.
Roberto Firmino showed no signs of fatigue in light of a deep Copa America run after nabbing a brace against Osasuna in his side’s final pre-season friendly, bringing him into the discussion with sharpshooter Diogo Jota over that coveted number 9 role.
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Predicted lineups
Norwich predicted XI: Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis; Rupp, Gilmour, Lees-Melou; Rashica, Pukki, Cantwell
Liverpool predicted XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Konate, Tsimikas; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Jota, Mane
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Ones to watch
Rashica joins the setup at Norwich from recently relegated German side Werder Bremen and is billed as the successor to the throne of the departed Emi Buendia.
Norwich lost their Argentine starlet to Aston Villa earlier on this summer for £40million as the Kosovan talent looks to recreate the star power of his predecessor, albeit at a lot less value in the transfer market.
Signed for £9.4million on a four-year deal, Rashica is part of a project at Norwich looking to operate with a negative net spend while recruiting more astutely, more creatively and most importantly, finding players that will keep them in the Premier League.
Being forced into isolation before last week's fixture against Newcastle means the new Canary will have missed four games in pre-season, something described as "not great for a new player" by Farke when speaking to Canaries.co.uk- but Rashica will no less look to impress should he get his chance this weekend.
Jurgen Klopp and Michael Edwards have replenished the central defensive position with the £36million acquisition of Konate.
The former RB Leipzig prospect cuts an imposing figure at 6ft 4in and has utilised his physical prowess throughout pre-season for the Reds.
His calmness on the ball and comfort in distributing it also has the air of one Virgil van Dijk.
Those around Anfield will be coy to heap on such praise in the early days of his Liverpool career, but the French U21 star is set to be selected ahead of the talismanic Dutchman for his Premier League berth with uncertainty over the latter's fitness.
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The officials
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: Simon Long, Richard West
Fourth official: Andy Madley
VAR: Stuart Attwell
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Previous meetings
In 18 meetings in the Premier League era, the Canaries have emerged victorious just twice, with 13 Liverpool wins and three stalemates making up the remaining matchups.
Their last win against the Reds came in April 1994, with a Jeremy Goss goal the difference between the teams at Anfield.
The last ten matches between the clubs have been uneven to say the least, Liverpool winning eight of them while averaging a resounding 3.3 goals a game.
Norwich's last outing in the Premier League resulted in relegation to the Championship, with two Liverpool wins aiding in their ultimate demise to the second tier.
Liverpool vs Norwich opened the 2019/20 Premier League season, as a Grant Hanley own goal and strikes courtesy of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Divock Origi set the tone for their title-winning campaign in a 4-1 romp.
Super sub Sadio Mane's late winner in the return fixture closed out a much more closer affair, finishing 1-0 at Carrow Road.
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How to watch
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League for viewers in the UK and Ireland, available to view from 5pm.