Liverpool vs. Man City confirmed lineups: Huge Szoboszlai, Semenyo, Mac Allister, O'Reilly decisions made for Premier League clash

Dominik Szoboszlai has been left out of Liverpool’s matchday squad for this afternoon’s eagerly-anticipated Premier League showdown against Manchester City at Anfield.

Concerns had emerged over the availability of both Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, who were not seen with their Reds teammates arriving at their team hotel on Sunday morning.

While Mac Allister’s situation has been clarified and he is available to start, Szoboszlai will not be involved against the Citizens due to a hamstring injury.

Head coach Andoni Iraola has made a total of three changes to the Liverpool side that began the 1-0 win at Bournemouth prior to the international break, with Szoboszlai and fellow injured stars Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo all dropping out.

Lewis Koumas has surprisingly been handed his first Premier League start, with the 21-year-old likely to lead the line in Isak’s absence, while Victor Munoz and Ryan Gravenberch have both returned to the first XI.

Munoz will link up with Koumas, Florian Wirtz and club-record signing Bradley Barcola in attack, while Gravenberch will partner Mac Allister in centre-midfield.

A back four of Ronald Araujo, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet and Milos Kerkez remains intact protecting goalkeeper Allison Becker between the sticks.

Haaland, Semenyo, O’Reilly all fit to start for Man City

As for Man City, head coach Enzo Maresca has made just the one change to his starting lineup following a chaotic 5-3 triumph at home to Sunderland before the international break.

Nico O'Reilly withdrew from England duty due to an unspecified problem, but the versatile 21-year-old is fit to start and has replaced Josko Gvardiol at left-back, joining Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes in defence.

Antoine Semenyo, who was recovering from a swollen leg during the international break, is available to start in attack – the Ghanaian scored twice against Sunderland last time out and also netted a brace for former club Bournemouth at Anfield last season.

Semenyo will line up alongside playmaker Rayan Cherki and ex-Everton star Iliman Ndiaye in the final third, providing support in attack for leading marksman Erling Haaland who is fit to start after suffering with some fatigue on Norway duty earlier in the week.

In midfield, summer signings Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez will link arms, while fellow new recruit Ayyoub Bouaddi and Mateo Kovacic will provide cover on the substitutes’ bench.

A hostile Anfield atmosphere is expected for Man City, who are gearing up for their first Premier League game since an independent commission found them guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the division’s financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, and the majority of charges in relation to their failure to co-operate with the league’s investigation – City wholeheartedly deny the allegations and have since lodged an appeal.

Liverpool starting lineup: Alisson; Araujo, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Munoz, Wirtz, Barcola; Koumas

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Nyoni, McConnell, Ngumoha

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Fernandez; Ndiaye, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland

Subs: Rulli, Kovacic, Doku, Reis, Gvardiol, Bouaddi, Allan, Khusanov, Lewis