Jurgen Klopp Reveals Changes to Team Selection Ahead of Singapore Fixtures
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed changes to the way he will pick his teams for the upcoming Singapore fixtures following the 4-4 draw against Greuther Furth. The Reds played their second and final friendly of the Germany leg of 2023/24 preparations behind closed doors in an eventful clash with the 2. Bundesliga side.
Luis Diaz opened the scoring in the first half before a chaotic second period produced seven goals as the informal honours were shared between the sides. As he had done against Karlsruher, Klopp selected separate teams for the first and second halves to enable him to share the minutes around the squad, but he has confirmed that this will be the last occasion that happens this summer.
Klopp’s Plan Going Forward
Speaking shortly before his side’s meeting with Greuther Furth, the boss was asked about his team selection and whether we will continue to see the starting 11 split at the interval. Klopp confirmed that the plan going forward in pre-season will be to field a team closer to the one we are likely to see when competitive action commences next month.
Until this point, the players have only been given 45 minutes each as they work towards full match sharpness following the summer break. It has given youngsters such as Ben Doak, Conor Bradley and Lewis Koumas the opportunity to showcase their talents as part of the senior team, but with the season fast approaching the manager is keen to ease his key players towards longer stints on the pitch.
Liverpool’s Upcoming Fixtures
Liverpool will fly back to Merseyside for a swift pit stop before heading to Singapore to continue working towards the opening game of the Premier League season on August 13. The quality of opposition is set to take a step up when the squad arrive at their next base, having only played against sides in the second tier of German football to this point.
Leicester are up next for the Reds in Southeast Asia on July 30, before a meeting with fellow six-time European Cup winners Bayern Munich three days later. These two fixtures will provide Klopp with a better indication of how his team is shaping up for the new season, and will give him a chance to further assess his squad ahead of their Premier League opener.
Conclusion
Klopp’s decision to switch up his team selection for the upcoming Singapore fixtures shows that he is serious about getting his team ready for competitive action. He has already seen some promising performances from his younger players, and will now be looking to get his more experienced players up to speed in time for the start of the new season.
The Reds have already shown glimpses of their potential in pre-season, and with Klopp now looking to field a more settled team in Singapore, we could be set for some exciting performances from Liverpool in the coming weeks.