Andoni Iraola’s pre-season preparation enters its final, intensive phase today as Liverpool face Italian outfit Como 1907 in a distinct double-header.
With the Premier League opener against Newcastle United at St James’ Park looming next Sunday, August 23, Iraola is eager to see a reaction from his squad following disappointing pre-season defeats to Leeds United and AS Monaco.
The Basque coach recently admitted his players had struggled to sustain their physical and tactical levels across 90 minutes, making today’s split-squad setup a vital in building full-match sharpness.
The action begins this morning 11AM (BST) behind closed doors at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby a fixture split into two 35-minute halves before the main event takes place in front of the supporters at Anfield later this afternoon (6pm BST kick-off).
The headline inclusion for the morning clash is the return of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
The midfielder earns his first minutes of the summer campaign less than four weeks after representing Argentina in a grueling 1-0 World Cup final defeat against Spain.
Notably, Mac Allister shares the pitch today with new recruit Victor Munoz, who lined up on the opposing side for Spain in that very same final.
Iraola looks set to deploy Mac Allister in an advanced No. 10 role a position reminiscent of his most productive days at Brighton Hove Albion allowing him to drive the central attack while working on core match fitness.
Further back, Wataru Endo makes his first start of pre-season following an ankle injury suffered during the World Cup, anchoring a backline alongside Calvin Ramsay, Luke Chambers, and Kostas Tsimikas, with summer signing Giorgi Mamardashvili starting between the posts.
- Liverpool Starting Xl Team (Morning Friendly):Â Mamardashvili; Ramsay, Endo, Chambers, Tsimikas; Nyoni, McConnell; Elliott, Mac Allister, Munoz; Chiesa.
- Substitutes:Â Davies, Koumas, Morrison, Ndiaye, W. Wright, Sonni-Lambie, Pitt.
With Federico Chiesa leading the line as a central forward, Harvey Elliott shifts out to the right flank, supported by Ramsay's overlapping runs, while Munoz operates on the left.
Iraola’s choice to mix senior stars needing minutes with promising academy talents like Trey Nyoni and James McConnell reflects the objective of the morning game: rebuilding rhythm for key figures while testing depth under high-pressing conditions.
While the morning XI features plenty of intriguing narratives, Iraola has held back several of his primary core figures for the 6pm BST fixture under the lights at Anfield.
The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz, and Alexander Isak are all slated to feature in the main event later today, giving the Anfield crowd their first look at the expected starters for the trip to Tyneside next weekend.
Both fixtures are being broadcast live for Red Full and Video members via the club's official site, LFCTV, and mobile apps.
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