Former Everton midfielder Townsend is joined in the side by former Toffee Ross Barkley in midfield, with Jacob Brown dropping to the bench.
Also among the substitutes is midfielder Jordan Clark, who is involved for the first time since sustaining an injury at Bochum in pre-season.
Town: Kaminski; Kaboré, Doughty, Lockyer, Osho, Mengi; Nakamba, Barkley, Ogbene, Townsend, Morris.
Subs: Krul, Adebayo, Chong, Mpanzu, Clark, Brown, Giles, Nelson, Luker.
Liverpool: Becker, Gomez, van Dijk, Konate, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Mac Allister, Salah, Jota, Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold.
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Diaz, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Matip, Doah, Quansah.
Referee: Andrew Madley