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It has been a strange preseason for Liverpool Football Club.
Less than six weeks since the Reds’ winning Premier League campaign came to an end with a 3-1 win at Newcastle United, Jurgen Klopp’s side are preparing for their last friendly before defending the title. starting at home against Leeds United next weekend. .
With last season ending in July due to the forced suspension of football due to the coronavirus pandemic, clubs have had to deal with shorter pre-season hours and summer holidays in preparation for a truncated campaign with increased congestion from matches so that the sports calendar begins again. site.
As such, Liverpool are back in action this weekend when they host Blackpool at Anfield on Saturday and the Reds seize the opportunity to fit in one final warm-up game before the new season despite coinciding with the international break of September.
Klopp will be left without players like Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold as a result with several of his European players in Nations League action for their respective countries.
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As such, he could face a selection dilemma or two with his top four full-backs in international service.
However, most of his squad remains at his disposal with the South American, African and Asian soccer confederations that decide to postpone the international matches in September.
Blackpool can expect to face Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and company. as a result with trio three of a series of familiar faces in action during the Reds’ most recent training session.
But instead of Klopp’s tried and trusted first-team players, his team’s clash with the Seasiders offers an intriguing opportunity for some of his less-used stars on the eve of the new season.
The wounded
Along with captain Jordan Henderson, Joel Matip, Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri were absent for Liverpool’s preseason meetings with Stuttgart and Red Bull Salzburg through injury.
As such, Saturday’s game with Blackpool offers the quartet a chance for much-needed playing time before the new season.
Origi’s last senior action came on the final day of the season in Newcastle, while Henderson has been out of the game since limping against Brighton in early July.
Meanwhile, Matip and Shaqiri played only once after the restart before suffering further injuries, limiting them to just three combined appearances since January.
When fit, Henderson can consider himself one of the top names on Klopp’s team sheet.
But for the other three, the clash with Blackpool also offers them one last chance to make an impact on Klopp ahead of the new campaign after stepping out of the initial XI image.
Origi knows where he stands in Liverpool’s pecking order, behind the traditional three forwards, but with Rhian Brewster breathing down his neck, and currently out of international duty with England’s U21 team, the great Belgian needs to solidify his place. as the favorite. striker from the bench.
Questions about Shaqiri’s future continue after a frustrating campaign last year, but the Swiss international will be determined to bounce back to prove his quality this season, whether at Anfield or elsewhere.
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As for Matip, he has shared central defense duties alongside Van Dijk with Joe Gomez, as injuries often determine which defender accompanies the Dutchman.
With the England international on international duty, the Cameroonian has a chance to show what he can do as his team’s main center-back on Saturday.
Wembley submarines
Takumi Minamino and Naby Keita finally turned the game in Liverpool’s favor at the Community Shield against Arsenal last weekend despite the loss on penalties, and they would have every right to feel aggrieved for not starting at Wembley.
The duo have been two of the Reds’ best players in the preseason and it looks like they’re finally settling in at Anfield after inconsistent starts.
With speculation about Gini Wijnaldum’s future and the possibility of Thiago Alcantara continuing, they will be looking to make the most of their final audition to show their manager why they deserve to be in their starting eleven once and for all with a week to go until Leeds United travel to Anfield.
Curtis Jones also came off the bench against the Gunners and will look to build an impressive season for his childhood club.
Now that he has received the jersey with the number 17, he has a chance to make his way through Liverpool’s pecking order this summer following the departure of Adam Lallana.
And while it would be a surprise to see him start against Leeds, another impressive performance against Blackpool could cement his role as a benchmark option from the bench as the season unfolds.
The young stars
With a number of veteran players out on international duty, several of Klopp’s younger stars should have a chance to impress against Blackpool.
The main name is Billy Koumetio. So far Liverpool have resisted the temptation to replace Dejan Lovren and bring in a fourth-choice center-back and with Nat Phillips ready to move on, the 17-year-old is well placed to make the spot his own ahead of the likes. by Sepp van den Berg after being part of the call-up of the day against Arsenal.
Klopp could decide to hand him an Anfield debut against Blackpool, and maybe even a first start if he’s selected alongside Matip at the back.
On the other hand, Ki-Jana Hoever should be given the go-ahead as a right-back in the absence of Alexander-Arnold and Neco Williams.
The talented Dutchman has been linked to a loan move to Celtic in recent weeks and could make a real statement to his coach ahead of the new season.
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Meanwhile, Harvey Elliott will also be eager to impress after his debut season at Anfield.
The 17-year-old is likely to find himself in a backup role again, but having been stripped of a full preseason with Liverpool, he will be desperate to seize any opportunity that comes his way as his development continues.
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