Key occasions
Ed Aarons on Palace’s underwhelming summer time (up to now)
Palace’s planning has been severely disrupted by the uncertainty surrounding which European competitors they’ll play in. STeve Parish spent most of Friday on the court docket of arbitration for sport in Switzerland because the membership try to have their demotion from the Europa League to the Convention League overturned. Oliver Glasner once more revealed his frustration through the Austria tour, saying he had been “promised that we’d be extra energetic and produce within the new gamers earlier this 12 months”.
Jonathan Wilson on Liverpool’s switch enterprise
The joys of the signings is rooted within the pristine chance, untarnished by expertise, of what they might obtain collectively, however an inevitable accompaniment to that projection is the potential for failure. The uncertainty of 5 new signings permits Liverpool to dream, however it additionally exposes them to doubt.
Crystal Palace workforce information
Oliver Glasner picks the identical XI that made historical past by profitable the FA Cup closing towards Manchester Metropolis. Their new signings Borna Sosa and Walter Benitez are among the many subs.
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1) Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta.
Subs: Benitez, Lerma, Clyne, Hughes, Edouard, Sosa, Esse, Devenny, Solomon Cardines.
Liverpool workforce information
The 4 large summer time signings all begin for the champions. Their new goalkeeper Giorgo Mamaradashvili – whose transfer from Valencia was organized final summer time – is on the bench.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Endo, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Elliott, Robertson, Nyoni, Doak, Ngumoha.
Learn our Premier League followers’ previews
Liverpool
We’ve made some nice signings, raided the Bundesliga for Frimpong, Wirtz and Ekitiké and swooped south for Kerkez, with extra to come back. Our goal is evident then: to complete high once more and go additional in Europe. And we should attempt with out one in all our stars, Diogo Jota, whose loss is immeasurable, in fact to his household before everything. What he meant to the boss, the workforce, every particular person participant and the supporters has been evident within the outpourings of affection and respect proven in these previous weeks. We gained’t overlook him and in doing all we will to succeed we are going to honour his reminiscence.
Preamble
Thank heavens for the Community Shield. In an age of 24/7/365 soccer – when seasons, competitions and opinions blur into one headache-inducing mass – the function of the Neighborhood Defend because the curtain raiser for the brand new English season is extra necessary than ever.
The fact is extra difficult – the EFL kicked off 9 days in the past – however we’re not right here for that or to speak about. We’re right here to look at FA Cup winners Crystal Palace meet runaway champions Liverpool on a sweltering afternoon at Wembley.
In several methods, each groups have had tough summers. Palace had been demoted to the Convention League, have barely spent a penny on players and will lose Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze earlier than the switch window closes.
Liverpool have spent like by no means earlier than, signing Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong for round £250m. They recouped greater than half of that with the gross sales of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Jarell Quansah and others. However the summer time of 2025 will at all times be remembered for the stunning demise of Diogo Jota, aged 28, in a automotive crash.
Life goes on, soccer goes on, however in the present day’s sport can be performed in shadow.
Kick off 3pm.
