LIVERPOOL PRE-SEASON PREVIEW

Part of the Liverpool first team squad convened at the AXA Training Centre yesterday to kickstart the 2022/23 pre-season. Here’s a preview of what to expect in the next four weeks before the campaign starts in earnest.

Those involved in internationals at the end of last season were given an extra week off. A total of 19 players are expected to report in this first week to undergo testing (including the dreaded lactate test) and training.

After the week of intensive training, the Reds will depart for Bangkok, Thailand for their first friendly. How friendly can it be when Manchester United are the opponents though? The two arch rivals will square off in the Bangkok Century Cup.

This match will come off on July 12th, with kickoff slated for 2pm BST at the Rajamangala Stadium. The first batch of players will be heavily involved, with the last batch of internationals unlikely to feature bar for a few minutes later on.

Following this fixture, Liverpool travel to Singapore where they’ll face fellow Premier League outfit Crystal Palace, for the 2022 Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy. This match will come off on July 15th, with kickoff slated for 1.35pm BST at the Singapore National Stadium.

This fixture should see the second batch of players get their first minutes. Big money signing Darwin Nunez is likely to debut against Palace. There will as well be community events for the players which will see them interact with the fans and help foster team spirit.

Jürgen Klopp’s side will return to Europe a week later for their third fixture. This takes them to Germany where Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig await. This match comes off on July 21st, with kickoff slated for 6.15pm BST at the Red Bull Arena, Leipzig.

The last leg of the pre-season tour sees the Reds travel to Austria for a training camp. This is where efforts will be stepped up, with double and even triple sessions whipping the squad into shape. In this camp the manager will have his way, with no commercial requirements interfering.

A week into the camp, RB Salzburg will offer opposition for the penultimate pre-season fixture.This is slated for 7pm BST on July 27th, at the Red Bull Arena, Salzburg. This is where some players can catch the manager’s eye with the season fast approaching.

After that comes the first competitive match of the 2022-23 season, as Klopp’s squad face Manchester City in the traditional curtain raiser – the Community Shield. It takes place at Leicester’s King Power stadium due to the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final at Wembley.

These two sides have been going hammer and tongs at each other for the past four years so it’s no surprise to see them go head to head again to mark the commencement of the new season, as the Premier League champions go up against the FA Cup winners.

Liverpool will hope to get one over on City to put a marker down for what’s to come in the campaign. The last time these two met in the Community Shield, the Citizens triumphed on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The Nunez vs Haaland storyline will go into overdrive in the buildup.

It certainly will receive the big game preview it deserves, regardless of the pre-season nature of the whole affair. Liverpool will be looking to lift their first Shield since 2006, when they walk out at the neutral venue on July 30th (5pm BST).

Twenty four hours following that tussle with Guardiola’s men, the final pre-season fixture will be hosted at Anfield. Players not involved in the Community Shield will get their minutes against French side Strasbourg, with kickoff set for 7.30pm BST.

Six days later, the serious business commences at Craven Cottage. Jürgen Klopp will hope to utilise this pre-season to fine tune his squad and put them through their paces ahead of what is sure to be another gruelling campaign.