‘One to watch’ – Ian Doyle intrigued by Liverpool team news decision for Forest clash | OneFootball

Andoni Iraola has made two changes to the Liverpool starting XI for today’s clash against Nottingham Forest, with one of those alterations being particularly notable.

The head coach hasn’t shown any sentiment to Rio Ngumoha on his 18th birthday, with the teenager dropping to the substitutes’ bench in favour of Victor Munoz, who comes in to make his first Premier League start.

The Spaniard came off the bench just after the hour mark in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle last weekend and was fouled for the stoppage-time penalty that Dominik Szoboszlai converted to ensure that the points would be shared.

Munoz will be ‘one to watch’ for Liverpool today

The 23-year-old is included from the start this afternoon as he starts a Premier League match – an an official Liverpool fixture – for the first time since his transfer from Osasuna in June.

Reacting to the team news when it was announced 75 minutes before kick-off, Ian Doyle wrote on the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog: ‘Munoz will be one to watch – and don’t expect him or any of the forwards to particularly last 90 minutes given the comments of Iraola before the game.’

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

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Opportunity knocks for Munoz amid impending Barcola arrival

The World Cup winner has shown ‘promising moments‘ (in the words of Andy Jones for The Athletic) in his pre-season appearances for the Reds and made a telling contribution with that surge into the penalty area towards the end of the draw at Newcastle six days ago.

Prior to that moment, Doyle felt that the 23-year-old ‘didn’t look overly convincing’ after coming on at St James’ Park (Liverpool Echo), but it showed the winger’s ability to trouble opposition defences and run at players willingly.

Playing from the start against a Forest side who are quite likely to set up with three central defenders in Oliver Glasner’s system will present a different test for Munoz, who’ll be hoping to make an indelible impression on Iraola amid Bradley Barcola’s imminent arrival from Paris Saint-Germain.

The French forward will inevitably become one of the two starting wingers once his transfer is completed, raising the onus on his positional peers to ensure that they’re also included from the first whistle on matchday.

Today could present a big test for Liverpool’s new number 23, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity for him to prove his worth to the head coach and try to cement a place in the starting XI. Let’s hope he can make a decisive impact this afternoon!