There\u2019s much to look forward to as it\u2019s Champions vs Champions in the first game of the 2020\/21 season as Marcelo Bielsa\u2019s Leeds squad\u00a0travel to Anfield to face champions Liverpool\u00a0in a 5:30 pm kick-off live on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n
The Whites, who were crowned Champions of the Championship just 53 days ago, are looking to kick-start their Premier League campaign with a win against the reigning Premier League Champions and this certainly promises to be an absolute cracker of a match.<\/p>\n
Some new faces are expected to be spotted in the Leeds lineup on Saturday, including Spain\u2019s number 9 Rodrigo Moreno and German International Robin Koch. During his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, head coach Marcelo Bielsa stated that both players are in great physical condition and will be available for the trip to Anfield. Adam Forshaw will not feature for the Whites as he continues to recover from a long-term knee injury.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, Leeds boss Bielsa spoke about what lies ahead for him and his team on Saturday, saying:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very special game. The club, fans and players all deserve to be playing in the Premier League. They [Liverpool] have a consistent style of play and without a doubt they are one of the best teams in the world and they have some very good players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kalvin Phillips made his England debut on Tuesday evening against Denmark. Bielsa, when asked about Kalvin\u2019s success, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very happy that he was able to make his debut so quick with the English national team\u201d.<\/p>\n
Pablo Hernandez spoke to the media to preview Saturday\u2019s Liverpool v Leeds opener. He commented:<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody in Leeds feels excited now. 16 years is a long time for this club and now we have a good chance again to put this club where it belongs in the Premier League, fighting with the big clubs in this country. We know the difficulty of this league and how difficult it is for teams who have just been promoted, but we have a big confidence in the group, along with a couple of new players who can improve the team a lot. We need to give everything in this challenge, because the fans deserve for this club to do a good job in this league.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a likelihood that Captain Jordan Henderson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Kostas Tsimikas could all be on the sidelines for Saturday\u2019s clash, with head coach Jurgen Klopp sahying that he will make a late call on their availability ahead of kick off.<\/p>\n
Jurgen Klopp was asked by the media on Friday afternoon about what he expects from the newly promoted side and he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a completely different style to Sheffield United, for example, but it\u2019s in a similar way different to how all other teams play. That makes it so special and will help them, because it\u2019s not like the most expansive style, that they will open up and be a bit na\u00efve or something like that. Not at all \u2013 they are well drilled and the things they do are absolutely brilliant. The way they defend is exceptional, its man-marking, its pretty much man-marking plus one \u2013 that sound slightly strange but its true. So that\u2019s really well organised.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked about Marcelo Bielsa,\u00a0Klopp had th is to say:<\/p>\n
\u201cI admire him. I\u2019m really looking forward to meeting him. He is an inspiration for all coaches because what he is doing, he sticks to it and really pushes it through \u2013 and is successful with it. That makes him a very, very interesting figure in this business.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last time the two teams met back in 2016, it was Liverpool who had the bragging rights as they beat the Whites 2-0 at Anfield in the League Cup, with goals from Divock Origi and Ben Woodburn. The Whites last beat the Reds back in 2001 at Anfield, where it finished 2-1 thanks to goals from Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer.<\/p>\n
The Liverpool v Leeds match preview will broadcast on Sky Sports Football from 5pm, with kick-off at 5:30pm.<\/p>\n
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