Season Preview: Liverpool have the quality but have they got the depth?

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Liverpool will be looking to bounce back from last season’s disappointing title defence when they make the trip to Norwich to get their 2021/22 campaign underway.

The Reds looked like making it back-to-back titles when they led the table at Christmas only for a series of defensive injuries, which saw the famous unbeaten run at Anfield fall apart spectacularly.

Jurgen Klopp’s men responded well to ultimately finish in third place but overall that was a downgrade on pre-season expectations.

Expectations for the coming season are perhaps not quite so high but this may suit Klopp’s squad, with many eyes looking at Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.

Transfers

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At the time of writing there has only been one new signing to speak of in Ibrahima Konate who arrived from RB Leipzig in June. The French defender has had a full pre-season under his belt due to his early arrival and has looked sharp in recent friendlies.

The £36 million centre-back bolsters a defence that includes the returning Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

While adding players to the squad has proved difficult, the Reds have been able to move on some of the fringe players with Harry Wilson, Marko Gruijic, Taiwo Awoniyi and Liam Millar among those to leave and raise funds for more squad improvements.

The biggest blow in terms of outgoings is undoubtedly Georginio Wijnaldum. The club and the talented midfielder couldn’t agree on a new contract and the Dutchman has joined a star-studded Paris Saint-Germain squad.

Wijnaldum played a key role in Liverpool’s Champions League and Premier League triumphs and his work rate and durability will be a massive loss. In a midfield that picked up its fair share of injuries, the Dutchman was always available and proved to be a popular figure among fans.

Targets and Aspirations

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As far as the first-team squad goes, replacing Wijnaldum should be high on the list of priorities. Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all picked up injuries to different degrees so it would be unwise to expect a season of no disruption in that area.

Curtis Jones made quite the impact last season so expect more minutes from the local lad as he aims to establish himself in the first-team.

Klopp may look to add to his attack if the club are able to find suitable buyers for the likes of Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri. The duo would leave with the best wishes of everyone involved at the club but it would be the right time to boost the attack with the loss of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to the African Cup of Nations in January.

The German manager has a strong core of players at his disposal and will have been delighted at the news of Alisson, Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold signing new contracts. With a little bit more depth, Liverpool could make a challenge for the title this season. They should certainly be looking to cut the 17-point gap that emerged between themselves and Manchester City last season.

European success and Liverpool are forever linked and another run in Europe’s top club competition would be gratefully received by supporters, especially as full capacity crowds will appear at Anfield once again.

The one gripe a lot of fans have with Klopp’s tenure is his tendency not to prioritise the domestic cups. A return to Wembley for a first cup final since 2016 would be something for fans to treasure.

Key Player

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If Virgil van Dijk returns at even 50% of the player he was pre-injury then Liverpool’s defence will have improved an awful lot. Mohamed Salah did his best to carry the team to success in the Dutchman’s absence and will once again be the main source of goals.

The Egyptian scored on his Premier League debut against Watford in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since. The forward will be eyeing up another crack at the golden boot after falling agonisingly short last season.

Young Prospect

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Harvey Elliott had a very fruitful campaign last season at Blackburn and will be hoping to make a name for himself at Anfield in the coming months. A year in a tough environment in the Championship will have been just what Klopp was looking for in order for Elliott to get a taste of senior football and the midfielder should be much the better for it.

Having only recently turned 18, it’s important that expectations aren’t raised too high but the young man looks full of confidence and impressed during pre-season, playing in a number eight role. If the aforementioned injuries crop up once again, expect the Surrey-born teenager to get plenty of minutes in the league and cup.

With Salah and Mane both having the benefit of a full pre-season, the Reds will be looking to start the campaign strongly. If the results go as planned, Klopp’s men could fight once more for the Premier League title.

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