Arne Slot made 10 changes to his Liverpool lineup for the final Goodison Park derby, with his starting lineup against Everton making history for the club.
When Liverpool released their teamsheet an hour and 15 minutes before kickoff in the Merseyside derby, Luis Diaz was confirmed as the only player retained from the weekend.
Alisson, Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo all returned after missing the FA Cup loss at Plymouth.
Confirmed Liverpool lineup vs. Everton – 10 changes
There was no place for Trent Alexander-Arnold, the returning right-back instead starting the game on the bench.
And with Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah also limited to substitute roles, Slot’s starting lineup made club history.
Per Opta‘s Michael Reid, it is the first time Liverpool have named a starting lineup for a top-flight fixture without a single English player.
It comes with Bradley and Robertson the only representatives of the UK, with three starters from South America, one from Africa and the remaining five from elsewhere in Europe.
There is, therefore, no Scouser in the team for Liverpool, though Slot can turn to both Alexander-Arnold and Jones from the bench.
According to The Athletic, it is the second time either of the sides have failed to name a local player in their starting lineup – the only other time being Liverpool in their 4-0 win at Anfield in April 2016.
Everton midfielder James Garner, who was born in Birkenhead, is the only local player to start the final derby at Goodison Park.
David Moyes has started four English players, with Garner joined by Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, while five more are on his bench.
Alexander-Arnold and Jones are the only English players to clock 1,000 or more minutes for Liverpool so far this season, with 10 more making at least one appearance.
Those are Quansah, Elliott, Joe Gomez, Tyler Morton, James McConnell, Jayden Danns, Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha and recent debutants Isaac Mabaya and Amara Nallo.
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