Jurgen Klopp Emphasizes Need for Forwards to Deliver Amid Stiff Competition
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has emphasised the need for his forwards to deliver amid stiff competition for places up front, having scored 12 goals in the three friendlies so far. Liverpool ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over Leicester in their first game since arriving in Singapore earlier this week, with the two separate front threes on either side of half time looking particularly sharp.
Klopp was asked about the performance of Luis Diaz in particular, with the Colombian having missed a significant amount of last season while nursing a knee injury. The manager provided a glowing assessment of his team’s attacking play while adding that all of his forwards must be on top form if they are to nail down a place in the side.
“The boys have to perform, the situation is massive and they are all top-class players,” the boss explained. “Lucho [Diaz] looks sharp and looks fresh and looks fast like hell, you can give him the ball and the outcome will be there, either he provides something or he can finish off for himself.”
Darwin Nunez opened the scoring with his fourth goal of pre-season from close range after half an hour, before Bobby Clark and Diogo Jota took the game beyond the Foxes shortly before the break. Ben Doak was also on target shortly after the hour mark to seal a comprehensive victory, having teamed up with Cody Gakpo and Diaz in attack as the boss made wholesale outfield changes at the interval.
With Mohamed Salah joining Gakpo, Diaz, Nunez and Jota on the Reds’ list of forwards, there will be a battle for minutes up front next season should they all keep a clean bill of health. Liverpool will round off the Southeast Asia leg of pre-season with a clash against fellow six-time European champions Bayern Munich on Tuesday, also taking place in the National Stadium.
With just two weeks before the start of the Reds’ Premier League season, the signs going forward remain overwhelmingly positive as the goals continue to flow among the wealth of attacking options the manager has at his disposal. The competition for places up front is sure to be fierce, and it will be interesting to see how Klopp manages his forward line over the course of the season.
The Reds have been impressive in pre-season so far, and it is clear that Klopp is looking to make sure that his forwards are firing on all cylinders heading into the new campaign. With a wealth of attacking talent at his disposal, it is up to Klopp to ensure that his forwards are delivering when it matters most.
The Reds have been impressive in pre-season so far, and it is clear that Klopp is looking to make sure that his forwards are firing on all cylinders heading into the new campaign. With a wealth of attacking talent at his disposal, it is up to Klopp to ensure that his forwards are delivering when it matters most.
It remains to be seen how Klopp will manage his forward line over the course of the season, but one thing is certain: if his forwards can continue to produce goals like they have in pre-season, then Liverpool will be in good shape heading into the new campaign.