A new era begins
Liverpool begin the new Premier League season on Sunday with a visit to St James' Park to face Newcastle United. The fixture marks Andoni Iraola's first competitive game in charge after the Basque replaced the sacked Arne Slot at the end of the previous campaign. At the same time, the match carries a special layer of sentiment, with tributes planned for Liverpool and Newcastle legend Kevin Keegan.
The occasion also marks 40 years to the day since Liverpool last opened the season at Newcastle United, a detail noted by Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle.
Iraola's appointment follows Liverpool's fifth-place finish in the 2025/26 season – a disappointing campaign the club will be looking to overcome. The transfer window has been relatively quiet, with GIVEMESPORT characterizing the squad as "extremely thin," while Liverpool Echo's writers emphasize the shedding of players over the summer.
Who partners Van Dijk at centre-back?
The first major decision concerns the centre-back partner for Virgil van Dijk. Options include the marquee signing Jeremy Jacquet, who arrived from Rennes for £60million in a deal agreed last year, and Ronald Araujo, who joined from Barcelona – the actual transfer being a loan, per one writer – and is an option at centre-back.
Neither outlet is fully in sync. GIVEMESPORT argues that Araujo must start over Jacquet, citing Jacquet's lack of competitive football since February and a cautious approach ahead of a hostile St James' Park atmosphere. The piece goes a step further, describing a Premier League debut at the cauldron as "throwing him in at the deep end," and deems starting him a potentially "reckless" decision.
Liverpool Echo's Paul Gorst also opts for Araujo, describing the Uruguayan international as an "uncompromising" figure whose experience and defence-first mindset will be suitable for such a fixture. Another Liverpool Echo writer, Ian Doyle, suggests Jacquet might get the nod ahead of Araujo to debut alongside van Dijk, citing Jacquet's better grasp of English as aiding his bedding-in period. Doyle's team also includes Jacquet in his preferred XI.
The midfield puzzle
A second dilemma involves midfield selection, specifically the role of World Cup-winning Alexis Mac Allister. Both sides note that Mac Allister was rested during the season – GIVEMESPORT records that he played only 54 minutes in pre-season after an extended rest following World Cup exploits, while Liverpool Echo similarly observes his belated return. Mac Allister struggled for large possessions of the 2025-26 season, though this is reported by GIVEMESPORT.
Liverpool Echo writer Paul Gorst singles out Mac Allister as "the odd man out" in midfield and omits him from his starting line-up, placing him on the bench. GIVEMESPORT places Mac Allister among the midfield options, including also Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Endo, Elliott, Nyoni, and Bajcetic.
A specific point of difference: Liverpool Echo's chosen midfield pairing is Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, with Mac Allister out. GIVEMESPORT does not propose a specific XI but implies Mac Allister could be involved.
The right-wing (right side) role
The third decision revolves around the right side of the attack. Liverpool Echo names Rio Ngumoha as the player starting on the right side, while GIVEMESPORT gives Ngumoha a key backstory: the 17-year-old scored the winning goal in the 100th minute of this exact fixture last season. However, GIVEMESPORT also questions whether handing him a Premier League debut is the right decision, with some writers suggesting he might need time to adapt.
Liverpool Echo's writers cite Ngumoha as a starter but they also note potential alternatives like Jeremy Jacquet or the left-side issues. The Echo mentions a "pesky right-wing issue" that needs resolution.
Looking ahead
Beyond the immediate match, both outlets mention the broader squad dynamics. GIVEMESPORT notes that Victor Munoz joined from Osasuna as a squad player, and that Curtis Jones is expected to join Inter Milan. Liverpool Echo mentions Alexander Isak leads the line against his former club, and that Alisson Becker is the goalkeeper, Milos Kerkez left-back, Jeremie Frimpong right-back.
As for the team formation, Liverpool Echo reports a 4-2-3-1 shape, while GIVEMESPORT gives no formation.
The article has received no perspectives section; no named parties have provided contrary views beyond the described writers' analysis, and their individual selections are presented within the narrative.