It is the start of a new era - and what a stage awaits.

Roberto De Zerbi takes charge of Albion for the first time as they face Liverpool tomorrow.

The Seagulls have won, drawn and twice lost very narrowly while chasing the game on their four most recent visits to Anfield.

A lot has happened since they last took to the field - under Graham Potter to face Leicester City.

All sorts of analysis has been done on what De Zerbi might or might not do as his successor.

But analysis, numbers and diagrams at last give way to action tomorrow with a few things we will be looking out for.

Selection?

Twenty-seven days from their most recent game, how many line-up changes does the new boss make compared to the last side sent out by Graham Potter?

New head coaches can be conservative. Potter himself started precisely NONE of his summer signings in his first game at Watford but gave a debut to Dan Burn, who Chris Hughton had never used in the league.

Hughton, the last new boss to take over during a season, made four changes in his first match but one was the return of Gordon Greer from a knee injury, a move caretaker Nathan Jones may well have made himself.

Lallana to return?

Adam Lallana was a proud man as he applauded away and home fans after last season’s game at Anfield.

He was in good form before injury struck recently but this looks too early for  a start.

He led and organised the press effectively at times in the win at Old Trafford and is potentially a really useful asset back at Liverpool.

Formation?

An obvious talking point. If Albion were going to Anfield under Graham Potter, we would expect to see three at the back and wing-backs.

Attacking runs by Marc Cucurella and Tariq Lamptey exposed Liverpool in front of the Kop last year and led to a goal and a disallowed goal for Leandro Trossard.

But Lamptey’s run was as sub. Albon started with a back four that day.

De Zerbi’s track record is with a four. That would appear to point to Joel Veltman at right-back (as he was last season), albeit with the instincts and awareness to tuck in closer to his centre.backs when required.

Always remembering of course that, when Pervis Estupinan plays on the left, there is a very fine line between full-back and wing-back.

The double pivot?

We keep hearing about the importance of that midfield duo to De Zerbi’s plans and Albion look well equipped there with Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister in good form individually and as a pair.

Both have been away for much of De Zerbi’s first week on the training pitch.

From that perspective, an instruction to just keep doing what they have been doing might be appropriate.

That leaves them to cope with any fatigue from their travels (which will apply to Mac more than Moi).

Playing from the back?

Indications are Albion will continue to play from the back but more so - and looking shorter.

To what degree we see that at Anfield remains to be seen but Liverpool are hungry pressers and will be scenting their prey.

Albion played with fire in front of the Kop last season and were fortunate not to be burned by a killer third goal when they dithered on the ball.

They have to be crisper and quicker this time because Liverpool will be in their faces.

The Trossard role?

By common agreement, Leandro Trossard played as a false nine at Anfield last season.

Did he really? Or was he actually just a nine who did not look like a nine.

Potter established a very effective niche for the Belgian coming from wider and deeper in recent months.

During Chelsea’s game against Salzburg, it was amusing to hear one commentator suggest that Raheem Sterling had been handed “ the Trossard role”.

Where does he fit in now? Somewhere in that three working off the frontman appears obvious and, if he remains left-sided, those improved defensive attributes may well be tested by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Sharp end?

Proud Mancunian that he is, Danny Welbeck will probably receive as warm a welcome from home fans as he did at Elland Road late last season.

He has not played at Anfield for more than five years and his work in occupying Virgil Van Dijk will be intriguing.

Welbeck impresses with his movement and footballing IQ but was injured at the time of this fixture last year.

Off the pitch?

Potter’s assistant Billy Reid was in very friendly mood before the Anfield game last season.

When Jurgen Klopp went out to study Albion’s warm-up from the halfway line, Reid was there, fully engaging him in a long conversation.

I never did ask whether it was deliberate, to take Klopp’s attention, or just Reid being sociable.

And what does Klopp gain from watching anyway?

Either way, he did not see much of the Albion warm-up that day.

The contest between the coaches will be one to watch with De Zerbi likely to be a touch more fiery than his predecessor (and the one before him, and the one before him, and the one before him).

Any other business?

Anfield can be a cauldron on European nights and a break in action might have whetted appetites. But it can also fall quiet on run-of-the mill Saturday afternoons.

Keeping possession and winning it back early will frustrate the locals and maybe spoil some once-in-a-lifetime visits. Oh well, that’s football.

Away we go...

Of no logical relevance but fans love an omen.

Or maybe some memories to talk about on the long train journey north.

(Oh sorry, forgot - don’t mention the trains!).

Many will travel buoyed by recollections of great first-match away wins for Hughton at Brentford, Potter at Watford, Gus Poyet at Southampton and even Martin Hinshelwood (no offence, Martin - circumstances were tough back then) at Burnley.

Russell Slade and Oscar Garcia also got flying starts on debuts away from home with early goals before losing 2-1 at Leyton Orient and Leeds respectively.

Let’s see what this one brings.