Team News: Dejan Lovren starts for Liverpool against former club Southampton

Croatian defender Dejan Lovren has been named in the Liverpool starting lineup for the Reds' opening Premier League fixture against his former club Southampton.

The centre-half partners Martin Skrtel at the back as Javier Manquillo makes his debut for the home side at right-back. Another ex-Saint, Rickie Lambert, is on the bench.

For the Saints, there are four debutants - Fraser Forster, Ryan Bertrand, Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle - in their starting XI.

Morgan Schneiderlin is also chosen to start, despite rumours of a potential move away this summer.

Follow every minute of the game at Anfield with Sports Mole's live text coverage here.

Liverpool: Mignolet; Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren, Johnson; Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson; Coutinho, Sterling; Sturridge Subs: Jones, Toure, Sakho, Allen, Ibe, Can, Lambert

Southampton: Forster; Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Bertrand; Wanyama, Schneiderlin; S. Davis, Ward-Prowse, Tadic; Pelle Subs: K. Davis, Long, Taider, Cork, Hooiveld, Isgrove, Stephens