Liverpool vs Norwich preview: Anfield hosts opening game of new PL season

Breathe easy everybody, the Premier League is back!

A brand new season gets underway at Anfield tonight as title-chasing Liverpool host newly-promoted Norwich.

And, on paper, the task awaiting the visitors is a mammoth one. Jurgen Klopp's side are unbeaten in 40 league matches at home and it is arguably the toughest return to the top flight that the Canaries could have asked for.

Liverpool begin their quest to end their title drought with what appears to be a comfortable three points. But, after a shaky pre-season and defeat in the Community Shield, will Mo Salah and Co be firing on all cylinders?

As for Norwich, survival is the name of the game. After years of drifting between the Premier League and Championship the club is craving stability and Daniel Farke will be hoping to deliver that to Norfolk.

LIVERPOOL:  After European glory, all eyes are now on domestic success

Here they are again then. Liverpool stand at the start line of another Premier League season with all the tools to win that elusive trophy. But can they finally end years of pain?

The Reds were so close last season but came up short as an unwavering Manchester City held on to the finest of margins to pip them to first place. Victory in the Champions League final ensured their efforts were not in vain but now the focus is purely on domestic glory.

Since that victorious night in Madrid, things have not gone quite as smoothly as Kopites would have wanted. There have been no marquee arrivals to lighten the load on the famed front three and some abject performances on their tour of the United States left fans a little restless.

It is important to remember though that Liverpool are European champions and have a front line that is the envy of the world. Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have not played together in pre-season and it remains to be seen whether the latter will even play on Friday. He has trained well this week, said Klopp, but will that be enough to make him a starter?

They also have a host of midfield options to pick from now that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Adam Lallana are fit and ready to play. Fabinho shone at the back end of last season and he is expected to go up another level after getting a whole campaign under his belt.

This will be the first time that Liverpool and Norwich have met since a nine-goal thriller at Carrow Road in January 2016, which the Reds won 5-4. Sebastien Bassong had scored an equaliser to make it 4-4 in the 92nd minute, before Lallana netted the winner on 94:18 and the ensuing celebrations saw Klopp lose more than just his glasses.

Previous fixtures between these two were often graced by ridiculous performances from Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan scored 12 goals in five matches against Norwich, including three hat-tricks, and the sight of him far away in Barcelona will be welcoming to the visitors.

Liverpool started last season with a 4-0 win at home over West Ham and their form at Anfield has been nothing short of perfect. They have not lost at home in the Premier League, winning 30 and drawing 10 of their 40 games, since losing against Crystal Palace in April 2017.

The size of the challenge in front of Norwich gets even tougher when you consider the Reds are unbeaten in 25 games at Anfield against newly-promoted teams, with Klopp winning all 10 such games he has overseen.

Liverpool fans may be interested to know that the only previous occasion that they started a league season at home against Norwich, they won the top-flight title ahead of Manchester City, who took second in 1976-77.

NORWICH:  A band of brothers with a point to prove... success will be survival

The odds don't lie and Norwich's position as second favourites to be instantly relegated to the second tier shows just how much work they have to do.

The club have welcomed six new signings over the summer but have paid minimal fees for all of them. Their model is to recruit smartly and target players who have been under-appreciated elsewhere and it is some of those diamonds in the rough that got them up.

Striker Josip Drmic, who joined on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach, is probably the most exciting new face while a loan deal for Schalke's Ralf Fahrmann has added experience to the squad.

Sam Byram and Patrick Roberts also both have a point to prove. Byram failed to shine at West Ham after joining from Leeds, while Roberts needs to turn his potential into ability and prove Manchester City were wrong to let him leave on loan once again.

If there is one thing that promoted teams often struggle for in the Premier League it is goals but Norwich will be hoping they have that covered. Teemu Pukki joined on a free transfer from Brondby last summer and was a revelation.

He scored 29 goals in 43 games in the Championship last season and won the Championship Player of the Season award. He was rewarded with a new three-year contract this summer and the club are desperate for him to maintain his scoring form.

Pukki's goals were the end product of the team's expansive philosophy. Farke got his side playing a vibrant brand of possession-based football that made use of pace on the flanks and technical excellence in midfield. It will be interesting to see whether they stick to that style in the Premier League or become more reserved.

On Friday night Farke will become the 12th different manager whose first ever Premier League game has been against Liverpool. Four of the previous 11 have won, though the four managers to make their dugout debuts at Anfield all lost.

Predicted line-ups

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Salah, Firmino, Origi.

Norwich: Krul, Aarons, Godfrey, Hanley, Lewis, Cantwell, Buendia, Stiepermann, Trybull, Pukki, McLean.

What do the bookies say?

Liverpool are heavily fancied at 1/6 to emerge with all three points but if you fancy a Friday night shock then Norwich are priced at an appetising 22/1. Those thinking the points will be split can get the draw at 8/1.

If you're feeling a little creative with your betting than Mohamed Salah to score a hat-trick is 16/1. He fluffed a number of chance against City and will be keen to make amends. You can also get Pukki to score anytime and Norwich to win the game at 28/1.

Who's saying what?

Liverpool's Gini Wijnaldum: 'Now everyone is back, we can build and try and do even better than last season. Basically it starts now because now we have the whole team together. We are really excited. We had a good pre-season, it was really hard and tough but we are looking forward to the Premier League.'

Norwich manager Daniel Farke: 'For me the most important thing is that we stick to our principles. We want to go with our style and stick to our beliefs. We know we are favourites for position 20 in the league. But everyone said we needed to spend loads of money last year, we broke rules last season and and we want to break more rules this season.'