Liverpool vs Monaco LIVE: Team news as Van Dijk and Isak start pre-season friendly at Anfield

Ronald Araujo has arrived in England and is set to undergo a medical today ahead of his loan move to Liverpool. The Barcelona centre-back is set to become Liverpool’s second signing of the summer and strengthen their defensive options.

Araujo, primarily a central defender but who can also play right-back, will help give Iraola more strength in depth in both positions.

Liverpool are short of fit defenders with right-back Conor Bradley probably out until November and the versatile Joe Gomez being injured in their first match of pre-season.

Fellow centre-back Giovanni Leoni has not played since suffering a cruciate ligament injury on his debut against Southampton last September, while new signing Jeremy Jacquet was left out of matches on the pre-season tour of the United States because of concerns about his fitness.

Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker are among the Liverpool players returning to pre-season action as the Reds face Monaco at Anfield.

Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz also start alongside Dominik Szoboszlai, while Alexander Isak leads the line.

Lewis Koumas and centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 18, are the youngsters handed the opportunity of a start, while new signing Victor Munoz could make his debut.

He’s been named on the bench alongside the likes of Rio Ngumoha, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Ndukwe, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Koumas, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak

Andoni Iraola will manage Liverpool at Anfield for the first time as his side welcomes Monaco for their penultimate friendly of pre-season.

Liverpool experienced mixed fortunes in their tour of the United States, which saw them beat Sunderland and Wrexham before enduring a dismal capitulation against Leeds in their final outing, surrendering a two-goal lead in the second half to lose 4-2 to their Premier League rivals.

Iraola will hope to take key lessons from that match into his Anfield bow against the Ligue 1 side, two weeks out from their season opener at Newcastle.

The Spaniard now has almost his full squad at his disposal after the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Cody Gakpo returned from their post-World Cup breaks, while new signing Victor Munoz could also be in line for a debut.

Hello there and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Liverpool’s pre-season friendly against Monaco.

Stay tuned for all the latest team news, build-up and match action from Anfield!