Liverpool XI vs Como: Jacquet starts in pre-season friendly

Jeremy Jacquet starts for Liverpool against Como at Anfield as they conclude their pre-season preparations. The new signing is one of several players returning from injury or absence, with Ronald Araujo and Victor Munoz named among the substitutes.

Defensive concerns ahead of Newcastle trip

Andoni Iraola's side are short in central defence going into the new Premier League campaign, which begins with a trip to Newcastle next weekend. Captain Virgil van Dijk is the only fully fit senior option available, with three injury concerns in that position.

Jacquet has been struggling with an unspecified issue that caused him to miss the recent 3-2 defeat by Monaco. The £60million arrival saw his final campaign at Rennes curtailed by a shoulder injury and has not yet played in pre-season. He is back in team training and starts against Como.

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Reinforcements and injury updates

Iraola has brought in Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona, with the Uruguay international on the bench this evening. Giovanni Leoni continues his recovery from the ACL injury he sustained on debut a year ago, while Joe Gomez limped off in the 4-2 win over Sunderland in the USA last month, replaced by Ifeanyi Ndukwe. That muscle injury is likely to affect his start to the season.

Newly-signed youngsters Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye have featured in pre-season, as has Luke Chambers. Ibrahima Konate departed on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract, subsequently signing for Real Madrid. Curtis Jones has been hampered by a hip injury amid ongoing transfer links to Inter Milan. He returned to training this week having missed the Monaco defeat but sits out again here.

Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike are longer-term absentees with knee and Achilles injuries respectively. Victor Munoz and Alexis Mac Allister are back from their post-World Cup breaks but started alongside Liverpool's second string in an initial behind-closed-doors friendly against Como held over 70 minutes at the training ground on Sunday, which ended in a goalless draw. Munoz is on the bench for the second game and will hope for more minutes as a substitute at Anfield.