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Brendan Rodgers is likely to start a crucial season for both himself and Liverpool away from Anfield – due to the ongoing building work on the Main Stand.

Liverpool have asked the Premier League if they can start the season with an away fixture to allow as long a window as possible for contractors Carillion to progress the expansion works.

It also means that the traditional pre-season game against top European opposition at Anfield will not happen this year.

In recent years that has included Borussia Dortmund (2014), Olympiakos (Steven Gerrard’s testimonial in 2013), Bayer Leverkusen (2012), Valencia (2011), Atletico Madrid (2009) and Lazio (2008).

WATCH: Footage as the Main Stand takes shape

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It is hoped that by the end of the summer the steel works associated with the vast new structure – enough to build two Blackpool Towers – will be complete. Two huge cranes are already on site at Anfield and the roof truss will be built on a high podium and then lifted into place by the cranes in an operation likely to take a full day towards the end of July.

The old roof will be removed, the new one hoisted into place and the difficult task of linking the two structures together will start. It will eventually increase capacity in the stand by 8,500 seats to 21,000 on that side of the ground.

A Liverpool FC spokesman confirmed: “We have requested of the Premier League that we start the first game of the Premier League season away from Anfield. Also there will be no pre-season friendlies at Anfield this summer.”

The club has not yet received a formal reply from the league but it is expected Liverpool’s request will be accepted by the fixture setters, who are due to reveal the full league programme on Wednesday, June 17 at 9am.

It is not yet known whether the request could mean Liverpool playing more than one away game in a row to start the year, if the first fixture had been provisionally designated as a home match.

Liverpool have started four of the last five seasons with a home game, with wins against Southampton and Stoke in the last two years. The only away opener in that period brought a quick reality check with a 3-0 defeat to West Brom in Brendan Rodgers’ first league game in charge of the Reds.

Fernando Torres was the last man to score a winner for Liverpool in an away opener, against Sunderland in 2008, part of a run of five straight season starts away from Anfield, which included defeat at Spurs and disappointing draws at Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.

Liverpool last 10 Season Openers

2014: Southampton (Anfield) 2-1

2013: Stoke (Anfield) 1-0

2012 West Brom (Hawthorns) 0-3

2011 Sunderland (Anfield) 1-1

2010 Arsenal (Anfield) 1-1

2009: Spurs (White Hart Lane) 1-2

2008: Sunderland (Stadium of Light) 1-0

2007: Aston Villa (Villa Park) 2-1

2006: Sheffield United (Bramall Lane) 1-1

2005 Middlesbrough (Riverside) 0-0