Liverpool v Norwich City | Premier League 2019-2020 | LIVE
Match info:
Time: 15:00 ET | 21:00 Cairo Local Time
Venue: Anfield
Referee: Michael Oliver
Looking to go one step further than they managed last season, Liverpool will open this year’s Premier League campaign when they welcome a returning Norwich to Merseyside on Friday night.
Liverpool
Starting with the hosts, although Liverpool may have managed to clinch their fifth European title last season thanks to a 2-0 win over Tottenham out in Madrid back in June, Head Coach Jurgen Klopp will have some concerns over what was a worrying summer for his side. Suffering a penalties defeat against bitter rivals Manchester City in last weekend’s Community Sheild at Wembley, the former Borrusia Dortmund boss has seen his side win just one of their last six pre-season
appearances, including a 3-0 hammering against Italian outfit Napoli last month. Despite enduring what was a far from impressive summer, fans on Merseyside should be confident of making an early statement before Manchester City make the trip to West Ham on Saturday lunchtime. Eventually ending last season a single point adrift of Pep Guardiola’s men and securing a first Premier League crown, the defending European champions do hold an astonishing record on home soil. Unbeaten in the top-flight at Anfield last season, Liverpool dropped just two points on Merseyside with those draws coming against Manchester City and Leicester.
Liverpool’s deadly front three were short of game time during pre-season but two thirds look set to start the first game of the season. Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah played against Manchester City on Sunday, but Sadio Mane likely won’t be rushed back after reaching the AFCON final with Senegal.
Norwich
As for the visitors, after securing a Premier League return in empathic fashion last season and eventually holding a five-point buffer over Sheffield United, the second-tier champions had some real momentum around them over the summer. Bagging 93 Championship goals last season, the second best-attacking return
of any side in England footballing leagues and only behind Manchester City, the Canneries have shown some minor signs of a struggle at the end of their pre-season preparations. Despite picking up a hard-fought 1-0 win over Toulouse, they did suffer a 4-1 defeat against Atalanta and a 3-1 loss against Championship outfit Brentford last month. Even more worrying for Head Coach Daniel Farke before their trip to Anfield on Friday, Norwich failed to record a clean sheet in any of their last seven Championship matches last season, conceding a pair of goals in four of those contests.
Team News
Meanwhile, injuries to Christoph Zimmermann, Louis Thompson and Alexander Tettey will see them all sidelined for Norwich, but first choice center-back Timm Klose could return from a hip problem.
