Liverpool v Leeds United: Premier League – live!

8 min Why wasn’t that overturned – or at least looked at properly – by VAR? The 2020-21 season has been ruined already.

6 min Actually, I don’t think that should have been a penalty: replays show that it hit Koch’s thigh and then deflected onto his outstretched arm, which doesn’t necessarily count as handball under the revised laws. The VAR check was cursory at best. I hate football.

5 min I do feel sorry for Koch, who certainly wasn’t trying to stop Salah’s shot. But in the modern game, that’s always going to be a penalty.

Salah blisters the penalty straight down the middle, and Liverpool are ahead!

Salah’s shot hit Koch, who has been penalised for handball. His arm was outstretched, and that’s all that matters these days.

2 min An early chance for Liverpool! Keita slides a pass through the inside-right channel for Firmino, who for some reason decides to cut the ball back rather than shoot. It hits a defender and bounces to safety. I’m not sure why he didn’t just clip that over Meslier.

2 min “Of course everyone wants fans in the stands, but with Covid cases on the rise this is not possible,” says Mary Waltz. “Over on this side of the pond, our wishful thinking has led to funerals all over the states.”

There is still talk of having supporters at games in October. I wouldn’t rule anything out. On this side of the pond, as you may have noticed, we’re making it up as we go along.

Jurgen Klopp warmly greets Marcelo Bielsa, who is perched on a bucket in the technical area. Let’s get it on!

“Somebody shot JR?” says Ian Copestake. “Sad. I always enjoyed his contributions to the MBM.”

That deserves the first honk of the new season. Ho-honk!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been surprised by how many people have tipped Liverpool not to win the the league. While I understand the argument that it’s hard to maintain such a crazy standard for a third consecutive season, I’m not sure the usual rules apply to a Liverpool team that have abnormal levels of hunger and intensity. I think they’ll win it comfortably, maybe by 10 points or so.

“Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “Apologies to fans of old-school soap operas, but I think it’s going to take a lot more than Leeds showing up with a Dallas to keep Liverpool from building a Dynasty not seen since the 1980s.”

So who did shoot JR?

In the second Premier League game of the day, Wilfried Zaha’s goal gave Crystal Palace a 1-0 victory over Southampton at Selhurst Park

Pre-match reading/viewing

Jordan Henderson is fit to start for Liverpool, who have left Fabinho on the bench. Leeds’ record signing Rodrigo is also among the subs, but the German international Robin Koch starts in defence.

Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Adrian, Matip, Fabinho, Milner, Jones, Minamino, Origi.

Leeds (4-1-4-1) Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Struijk, Dallas; Phillips; Costa, Hernandez, Klich, Harrison; Bamford.
Substitutes: Casilla, Casey, Alioski, Roberts, Shackleton, Poveda-Ocampo, Rodrigo.

Referee Michael Oliver.

The fixture computer done good. It’s been a helluva long time since it threw up an opening-day match as mouthwatering as this: Liverpool v Leeds, Jurgen Klopp v Marcelo Bielsa, the irresistible force v the irresistible force. We don’t know how good Leeds will be this season – it’s a huge step up from the Championship – but we do know they will be all sorts of fun. After 16 years, the Premier League feels complete again: Leeds are back.

Kick off 5.30pm