Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool have a tough campaign awaiting them and one which gets underway in less than a week from now with the Liverpool supporters yearning for their club to renew their title-winning credentials after last season’s misfortunes.
On the back of a historic Premier League crown for the Anfield giants across the 2019-20 season, a first for the Merseysiders in 30 long years, Klopp’s men could only manage to put up a timid defence of their title as injuries and inconsistencies cost them dearly.
The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip could only see their side suffer calamities at the back from the sidelines with the central defender trio ruled out for the season with long-term injury layoffs.
Klopp’s hand was forced to field his midfield figures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the centre-back role as makeshift options before the Liverpool boss decided to make the most of January’s window, more so its final hours on deadline day, to bring in reinforcements with Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies arriving on Merseyside.
Liverpool returned to their best and a rich vein of form helped secure a much-needed top-four finish in the Premier League standings with Klopp’s resurgent side assuring themselves of the coveted Champions League qualification spot alongside their rival clubs.
Also Read – Our Exclusive Analysis: Liverpool’s 2020-21 Premier League Season Review
The Reds, however, have enjoyed a less than formidable transfer window so far this summer when coming up against their rival clubs across the land which includes the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United who along with Chelsea are the fellow contenders for Premier League glory alongside Jurgen Klopp’s men.
HE'S HERE!
We are delighted to announce the signing of @JackGrealish on a six-year deal.
Welcome to City, Jack! 💙
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/5Y3gMREmKL
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 5, 2021
Manchester City, the defending champions, have made one of the hottest moves in the market by signing the highly-rated Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in a transfer that has seen Pep Guardiola shell out north of £100 million.
City’s domestic rivals in Manchester United have confirmed the capture of long-term target Jadon Sancho and the Old Trafford giants are in line to secure the coveted signature of the World Cup-winning Frenchman Raphael Varane.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have just a sole signing to show for this summer in Ibrahima Konate whose long-anticipated arrival from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig is sure to bolster the defensive options at Klopp’s disposal heading into the new campaign.
But only one signing more than halfway through the summer transfer window has meant that the Liverpool supporters have voiced their concerns over the lack of depth in the first-team ranks at Anfield when looking at the business done by rival clubs in the Premier League.
There have been significant outgoings from the Liverpool camp this summer with the fringe likes of Marko Grujic and Harry Wilson, both players who have been shipped out on loan spells in recent years and have failed to secure a berth amongst Klopp’s first-teamers, calling it quits at Anfield on a permanent basis.
Despite the windfall coming in to bolster the funds available at his disposal, Klopp remains a far shot away from dipping into the transfer market and bring in big-name players to add to his current options, even as Liverpool fans scream for a new face for their midfield.
Gini Wijnaldum’s departure from the club after five-long years anchoring the Liverpool midfield has meant Klopp is one influential presence short in the centre of the park at Anfield and in spite of a host of star names being linked with the move to Merseyside, Liverpool are giving signs that the existing players could step up and fill the void left by the move of the 30-year-old Dutchman to Paris Saint-Germain.
Yves Bissouma was the first to emerge on Jurgen Klopp’s radar for this summer with the likes of Germany international Florian Neuguas and Atletico Madrid’s wantaway star Saul Ñíguez also high up on the shopping list for the Reds this summer but moves for either of these players look unlikely in what remains of the transfer window, according to much of the talk doing the rounds as of late.
How does the Liverpool XI shape up for the opening day of the 21-22 season?
Should one take a look at how Liverpool could possibly line up for the opening day fixture of the upcoming season where Klopp’s men take on the league’s new boys Norwich City, we are expected to see a starting XI that was on show for the Reds last campaign as well.
Alisson Becker, having put pen to paper on a new long-term deal on Merseyside, will be the familiar figure manning the goalposts for Liverpool behind a four-man backline which have will have the colossal Dutchman Virgil van Dijk back from an injury that kept him out of action since October 2020 and his return is of utmost significance to Liverpool who will be gunning for reclaiming Premier League glory.
Partnering Van Dijk could either be Joe Gomez or Joel Matip with our backing for the latter who despite his usual injury niggles remains a major asset at the back for Jurgen Klopp and Co.
The star full-back pairing of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson will be backed to exceed expectations right from the start with Arnold enduring a shaky start to the season last time around but the England international recaptured his form on all fronts towards the backend of the 20-21 campaign at a stage when it mattered the most for him and his side.
In the midfield department, it is certain to be the Henderson-Fabinho-Thiago combine that takes the pitch with Gini Wijnaldum now a Parisian after much speculation over his future on Merseyside beyond this summer’s transfer window.
Thiago, last summer’s marquee arrival at Anfield from the then treble-winning Bayern Munich outfit, will be backed to maintain his form which had been seen in the dying stages of the previous campaign where the Spanish playmaker stepped up his game after an uninspiring start to his life in the Liverpool shirt.
Even as the uncertainty surrounding Jordan Henderson’s Anfield future grows in recent weeks, the skipper will be focused on leading his side to the perfect start to the campaign and build upon his own form which had been on the show for the Euros runners-up England in spite of his injury layoff since February.
Up top on the pitch, it is sure to be the Firmino-Mane-Salah famed trio that takes the spots up for grabs despite the presence of Diogo Jota a major force to reckon with now since Firmino has failed to hit his stride in a consistent manner over the last year.
Jota was a hit for Portugal during this summer’s UEFA European Championships and the young forward enjoyed a superb debut campaign at Anfield following his big-money move from Wolves to the Merseyside, meaning expectations will be at large of Jota to replicate his 20-21 form heading into the new campaign.
Also Read – 5 players whose impressive showings at the Euros has caught Jurgen Klopp’s eye
Bench strength continues to remain a subject of frustration for the Liverpool fanbase who would not rejoice at the sight of Divock Origi’s staying put at the club beyond this summer with very few takers in the market for the Belgian striker as Liverpool remain firm on an ambitious price-tag to sanction his sale.
The likes of Kostas Tsimikas and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, should they hit top form which will be expected of them by a majority of the supporters, are bound to be established choices Klopp can turn to with Liverpool set to partake amongst Europe’s biggest clubs in the UEFA Champions League as well next season.
Much is anticipated of the consistency Naby Keita brings to the table with the former Leipzig man yet to cement his berth on the starting teamsheet three years into his move to Liverpool. Injuries at crucial times have curtailed the midfielder’s minutes on the pitch but should he stay clear of his usual troubles on the fitness front, Klopp will have a creative influence to call upon as Liverpool remain short on options to ramp up their game in the final third of the pitch.
Jurgen Klopp should prioritize solving Jordan Henderson’s contract deadlock
The worrying sign Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to resolve before this summer window slams shut is reaching upon a much-needed agreement with Jordan Henderson and his representatives over the contract extension talks that had suffered an unexpected setback recently.
Henderson’s value in the Liverpool dressing room and his influence on the team’s play from the centre of the park remains unmatched across the Premier League and Klopp will be aware that heading into the start of the new campaign with his skipper’s future subject to rumour-mongering will not be a good omen at Anfield.
