This Saturday at Anfield, Liverpool will bid farewell to a number of high-profile players as they welcome Aston Villa for the final match of the campaign. Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Adrian and Arthur are all expected to leave the club on a free transfer or end their loan spell this summer. After the Reds’ 3-0 victory away at Leicester on Monday night, Jurgen Klopp declared his hopes that Liverpool fans will show their appreciation for the departing squad members. He said, “We want to show the respect, appreciation and the love we feel for not only Bobby – Bobby as well – but for all the boys who will leave in the summer.”
The Reds still have a job to do on the pitch in order to keep pressure on those above them in the table. Liverpool sit in fifth with a point fewer than Newcastle and Man United having played a game more, and wins are still required in order to capitalise on any potential slip-ups from those in the Champions League places. Klopp has never failed to secure a top-four finish in a full season at the club, having ended his first campaign in eighth spot after joining in October. It remains to be seen how the club will honour the departing players, but in the past the likes of Divock Origi and Gini Wijnaldum have been presented with gifts on the pitch and given guards of honour by their colleagues. Whether all six players will receive the same treatment is currently unclear, but Firmino and Milner in particular are likely to get a warm reception for one last time from the home supporters. The manager will be hoping there is room for both sentiment and three points when Unai Emery’s side come to visit this weekend.