clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Moreno "Fit and Ready" to Face Manchester City

New Liverpool left back Alberto Moreno is ready and eager to play—and to face off against Manchester City's Jesus Navas, who he often played against in practice when breaking into the Sevilla first team.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno

A week after Javier Manquillo made a solid debut at right back for Liverpool, left-sided countryman Alberto Moreno will be hoping to do the same this evening against Manchester City. He may have only just arrived at the club after a protracted transfer Saga, but the 22-year-old Spaniard had a full pre-season with Sevilla and insists he's ready and eager.

"I'm fit and ready and I'd love to play," Moreno said. If he did, he'd be up against Jesus Navas, who frequently got the better of Jose Enrique when the two sides met during pre-season. It might seem a daunting task for a debutant, but Moreno has faced Navas before—both came up through the Sevilla youth system, and when Moreno first broke through he often faced the speedy winger.

"I've been aching to have a chance to play against [him]," he said. "That would be great. I haven't spoken to him since I signed but hopefully I will see him on Monday night. I know him very well because when I first broke intro the first team squad he was the one that I'd always be up against because he was on the right wing and I'd be on the left."

Given Enrique's struggles a few weeks ago and Moreno's fitness, the only thing standing in the new arrival's way is Glen Johnson. Manquillo was the better of Liverpool's fullbacks last week on the right and is likely to start, so the question is if Brendan Rodgers will gamble on Moreno or stick with the known quantity, even if that known quantity is mired in a run of poor form.

Whoever starts at left back, though, is likely to need some help, most likely from Raheem Sterling if Rodgers goes with the 4-3-3 or from Joe Allen or Jordan Henderson in the left-sided shuttler role if the manager instead deploys the 4-4-2 diamond.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Liverpool Offside Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Liverpool FC news from Liverpool Offside