Liverpool has announced their fourth friendly match of the summer, which will be against Sevilla at Anfield on August 11. This comes shortly after their three matches in the USA against Real Betis, Arsenal, and Manchester United. Arne Slot, Liverpool’s new manager, will experience his first match with a home crowd at Anfield. The game is scheduled to kick off at 3pm BST, giving the team one more week of preparation before their Premier League opener against Ipswich.
Despite some players still being away on international duty, it is surprising that there hasn’t been another pre-season friendly planned before Liverpool flies to America. This puts pressure on Slot to make the most of his time on the training pitch to ensure a strong start to the season.
In other news, there have been discussions about Liverpool potentially signing Nico Williams, a winger from Athletic Bilbao. The player has a release clause of £47 million, which may be a reasonable price for Liverpool to consider. However, it seems that signing a defender is not an immediate priority for the club, as reported by Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo. This suggests that Joe Gomez may have a chance to shine as a center-back.
There have also been updates on Liverpool players outside of the club. Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool’s midfielder, helped set up a goal for Lionel Messi in Argentina’s Copa America opener against Canada. Diogo Jota received a supportive text message from Jurgen Klopp after his goal for Portugal against the Czech Republic was ruled out. Additionally, Jota and his wife have announced that they are expecting their second child in November.
In other football news, Kieran Tierney of Scotland and Arsenal has flown home from Euro 2024 due to a hamstring injury. Wales manager Rob Page has been sacked following a 0-0 draw against Gibraltar in May, where he gave Lewis Koumas his debut. Ukraine made a comeback to defeat Slovakia 2-1 in the early kick-off at the Euros, showcasing their emotions after the final whistle.
As for Liverpool’s upcoming matches, it is reassuring to see that Arne Slot values the staff at the club, just as Jurgen Klopp did. The match of the night is the Netherlands vs. France in Euro 2024, where players like Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ibrahima Konate, and Ryan Gravenberch are expected to feature.