Still plenty of unknowns for Liverpool heading into new season

While so many of the playing faces remain the same from last season - Joel Matip and the retired Thiago Silva the only significant departures - there are few other “knowns” as Arne Slot starts his Anfield reign.

Liverpool's Arne Slot and Luis Diaz during a pre-season friendly match against Sevilla at Anfield. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.

A SUMMER of what looks like seismic change at Arne Slot’s Liverpool will at least start in familiar territory on Saturday — with that 12.30pm lunchtime away trip that was so beloved by his predecessor.

Jurgen Klopp never wasted an opportunity to complain when the fixture computer awarded his team a long away trip on a Saturday lunchtime — quite often with good cause if his team had been playing in Europe in midweek — and an opening day at newly-promoted Ipswich certainly looks like offering his successor an early glimpse into the challenges posed by the Premier League.