Andoni Iraola has only a depleted squad to pick from as he faces Sunderland in his first friendly as Liverpool manager.
The Reds will be without a number of players due to lingering injury worries, while various others are yet to join up after featuring at the World Cup.
Among those still carrying injuries from last season are Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL). Iraola has said none of the three are close to a comeback this summer.
So too are Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic, though they are with the squad in America and taking part in partial team training. They may be in line for minutes here, but Iraola will shy away from risking them.
Eight players remain on holiday after competing at the World Cup, including finalists Alexis Mac Allister and Victor Munoz. Alisson, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch all have yet to join up.
Iraola does have 31 players at his disposal here, though, and it is entirely possible that two unique teams are used in either half, starting with the stronger side.
Giorgi Mamardashvili will start between the sticks despite Freddy Woodman extending his contract earlier this week.
Jeremy Frimpong and Milos Kerkez will continue as first-choice full-backs, with Joe Gomez and the debutant Jeremy Jacquet in the middle.
The midfield two will comprise of Dominik Szoboszlai, also the recent signee of a new contract, and Curtis Jones, who has been credibly linked with a move away from Anfield this summer.
With so many forwards unavailable, the front four will be something of an unknown quantity.
Rio Ngumoha should get the nod off one flank, with Kieran Morrison on the other. Harvey Elliott will get a chance to impress in the No10 role, while the lack of any fit natural striker in the squad may see Federico Chiesa start through the middle.
Liverpool predicted XI vs Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Woodman; Frimpong, Jacquet, Gomez, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Jones; Morrison, Elliott, Ngumoha; Chiesa
Injured: Ekitike, Bradley, Leoni
Doubts: Endo, Bajcetic
Unavailable: Alisson, Gakpo, Van Dijk, Mac Allister, Isak, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Munoz
Time and date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Venue: Geodis Park, Nashville, TN
