As Liverpool gears up for their final pre-season friendly against Yokohama F. Marinos at the Nissan Stadium on July 30, the spotlight is on new signing Hugo Ekitike, who may make his debut following a £69 million transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt. The match follows a disappointing start to the tour, with the Reds suffering a defeat to AC Milan in Hong Kong last weekend.
Manager Arne Slot faced challenges in the previous match due to several senior players being unavailable. Alisson Becker has returned to Merseyside for personal reasons, and Luis Diaz is nearing a transfer to Bayern Munich. However, Slot’s squad should be strengthened for the Tokyo encounter.
Ekitike, alongside Alexis Mac Allister, who has recently returned to training after an injury, is likely to be integral to the team’s strategy moving forward. As Liverpool continues its preparations, writers are exploring potential line-ups for the match against the Japanese side.
Ian Doyle notes, “It’s about time Arne Slot at least edged a little nearer to the team that is likely to start the Premier League season.” He suggests a strong starting eleven with a complete overhaul at halftime. Doyle envisions Wataru Endo marking his return to Japan by pairing with Virgil van Dijk in central defense, supported by new recruit Giorgi Mamardashvili in goal, alongside full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong. In this configuration, Florian Wirtz operates in the number 10 role with Ekitike leading the attack and Rio Ngumoha on the left flank.
Theo Squires advocates for a similar lineup, proposing Ekitike be immediately integrated into the starting XI. He emphasizes the importance of solidifying Liverpool’s defense, now without Alisson, with Mamardashvili in goal and Endo positioned at center-back. Squires also suggests a traditional back four, with Conor Bradley and Kerkez supporting the defense. In the midfield, he opts for Trey Nyoni and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Mohamed Salah on the right and Ngumoha given another opportunity to shine on the left.
This match against Yokohama is poised to not only serve as a final test before the Premier League season begins but also mark an important occasion for new players like Ekitike and Endo.
