Liverpool line-up vs Leeds predicted as Alexander Isak starts amid important Jeremy Jacquet call
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Liverpool is back in preseason action with a clash against Leeds bringing the tour of America to a close, as Andoni Iraola faces some huge decisions with his team.Alexander Isak is set to feature for Liverpool against Leeds(Image: (Photo by Nikki Dyer/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))Liverpool is back in preseason action for the third and final time on the tour of America, as Premier League rival Leeds awaits in Chicago on Sunday.The Reds have already had a solid start to preseason, with wins over Sunderland and Wrexham offering some key insight to Andoni Iraola in his first few weeks as the team's head coach.The Spaniard has had to work through most of the tour without many of his first-team starters, with a mixture of an extended break for World Cup stars and injuries impacting the availability of a few options in the side. Iraola is set to be boosted by some returns for the Leeds game, but it will equally leave him with a few doubts for the team as well, even as he moves closer to a full side at his disposal.Starting in goal for the clash on Sunday, the manager is likely to stick with Giorgi Mamardashvili, as he continues to build fitness while Alisson Becker is training back on Merseyside for his return to action.At full-back, Jeremie Frimpong could be handed a start, though he is battling Calvin Ramsay, who started the previous friendly.
Milos Kerkez is likely to keep hold of his place, though he equally faces competition from Kostas Tsimikas.The centre-back options remain a problem for Iraola, after he admitted that Jeremy Jacquet remains a doubt for the Leeds clash after managing an injury issue. With the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Giovanni Leoni, the manager may turn to academy stars Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Luke Chambers, both of whom impressed starting there against Wrexham.A double return in midfield could see Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz given a first start in preseason, while Dominik Szoboszlai was captain last time out and may well keep his place.Ryan Gravenberch set out his goals for the upcoming season with Liverpool(Image: Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)There are options for Iraola to change things around if he wants, with Trey Nyoni, Harvey Elliot and Curtis Jones also available in a midfield that is close to full strength again.Up front there's a return for Alexander Isak, who could get his first minutes of preseason against Leeds to bolster the frontline even further.Academy duo Joshua Abe and Rio Ngumoha could be handed a start on either flank, though players like Lewis Koumas, Will Wright, and Calum Scanlon are all pushing to be involved.Federico Chiesa missed the previous match through illness, and his availability remains unknown heading into the match on Sunday in Chicago.Liverpool predicted line-up vs.
Leeds: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Ndukwe, Chambers, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Abe, Isak, Ngumoha.Liverpool squad for U.S. tour: Gomez, Endo, Jacquet, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Bradley, Chiesa, Leoni, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Ekitike, Mamardashvili, Woodman, Frimpong, Abe, Nyoni, Bajcetic, Chambers, Ramsay, Scanlon, McConnell, Jaros, Koumas, Morrison, Ngumoha, W. Wright, Hall, Sonni-Lambie, Ndukwe, Davies, Wirtz, Isak, Gravenberch.