Captain Jordan Henderson spoke this week about going through the 2019/20 triumphs and focusing on what can be achieved in the future. But, with only a few weeks of education and some friendlies to their credit, there is no doubt that Liverpool will participate in Saturday’s centrepiece with their arrangements from the end.
“I’d be very surprised if this is the most productive match we played this season,” Klopp said with a smile at his pre-match press conference. “But we have to be able to fight for a result because the opponent has a similar situation.”
In fact, this limited preparation would possibly be enough to see them pass to an Arsenal team that also feels the way back to full physical form, although, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the helm after their consecutive doubles at Wembley at the end of last season, the Gunners, who beat Liverpool after the resumption in July, will be serious.
More importantly, Klopp and Liverpool enthusiasts expect to see signs that the Reds are not too far from where they want to be for their first Premier League match with Leeds United within a fortnight.
With foreign matches to come between now and then, Klopp’s education time with his players is limited before the defense of his name begins.
Enjoy, Liverpool made few adjustments to the team that ruled the league last time. Kostas Tsimikas can make his first competitive appearance in Liverpool on left-back and Rhian Brewster, who has scored 3 goals in his two friendlies, may have a start. But Klopp’s team knows the demands and knows what is expected of them on this side.
In the end, good fortune or defeat in the Community Shield is of little importance in terms of what will remain in the Premier League. Only 8 of the 28 Community Shield winners won the title. And with an additional week before the start of the Premier League on 12 September, separating the start of the season from Saturday’s centerpiece, there will still be time to cool off and be perfected before Liverpool starts defending their crown.
But this Liverpool is used to winning. They feed on it and last season they did it most of the time, they were given in a field. Henderson will need some other trophy and victory will set the tone for what’s to come.
If Liverpool keeps up, Manchester City and the other Premier League contenders will be there to capitalize on any initial mistakes. But Liverpool will have to remind them why they are the ones to catch.
Jordan Henderson says Liverpool is hungry for more good fortune and named after last season to win them.
“To be honest, we don’t communicate it [to win the league],” the Liverpool captain told the club’s website.
“It’s more about” Did you enjoy your vacation? “We did, we worked hard. New season, new beginning and many other things that we have to continue and achieve.”
Learn about the Liverpool captain here.
Arsenal’s head coach, Mikel Arteta, is the club that will soon complete the signalling of Lille defender Gabriel Magalhaes and sign a new contract with Aubameyang.
Gabriel is about to sign for Arsenal after agreeing to a 27 million pound payment for Lille for the defence, beating his Premier League rival, Manchester United, who had back-to-back conversations with the player’s representatives, Everton and the Italian club at the festival. Napoli for the 22-year-old.
More from Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s activities here
Players will kneel before the men’s and women’s Community Shield games at Wembley on August 29 in the Black Lives Matter movement, the Football Association confirmed.
FA Cup champion Manchester City and women’s Super League champions Chelsea Women face off first on Saturday (start, 12.30pm) FA Cup champion Arsenal faces Premier League champions Liverpool (start, 16.30pm).
An FA spokesman said: “Players in FA Community Shield women’s and men’s matches this weekend will kneel before the start to show solidarity with the black network and highlight the inequalities and injustices experienced through this network.”
Find out here.