The Reds’ preparation for the second part of the season is underway as the squad returned to training this week in Dubai.
Football manager Jurgen Klopp has most of his senior squad available, with only seven players involved in the World Cup. While Alisson, Fabinho, Virgil Van Dijk, Ibou Konate, Jordan Henderson, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are still very much in the thick of the tournament in Qatar, Darwin Nunez was eliminated last week due to controversial circumstances.
VAR at the World Cup has been a big talking point, and Nunez was on the receiving end of one of the most contentious decisions when he fell in the box by Leicester’s Daniel Amartey in Uruguay’s 2-0 win over Ghana. The officials refused to award a penalty despite having earlier given Ghana an incredibly soft penalty (which was missed). Uruguay was eliminated on goal difference so that decision by VAR could have made all the difference.
Instead, they were dumped out in the group stages. Bad news for them, but good news for Klopp, who can welcome Nunez back into the fold next week after a brief holiday.
The rest of the squad has had a couple of weeks' break, and given how the first part of the season went, that’s probably a good thing. This training camp represents a rare opportunity for the squad to regroup, refuel and put the disappointment of the first part of the season behind them.
The Reds had fewer players at the World Cup than many of their rivals, so that should stand them in good stead over the coming months, while Klopp is also able to welcome back Luis Diaz from injury.
The squad in Dubai contains Diaz and fellow striker Diogo Jota, although Jota is not ready to resume training and isn’t expected back until February. The early return of Nunez ensures that Klopp will still have a wealth of forward options at his disposal when football resumes again in the last week of December.
Mo Salah, Bobby Firmino, Diaz, and Nunez will all be raring to go again. At the same time, Fabio Carvalho is another option who will be fresh and rejuvenated by the mid-season break.
Defensively Klopp will be at full strength while his midfield options have been bolstered by the return to training of Naby Keita. Speculation continues to rage regarding the future of the Guinean international, who will be able to sign a pre-contract with an overseas team on January 1st. The most likely scenario is he remains at Anfield until his contract expires next summer. Still, with Klopp looking to add one or even two midfielders to his ranks when the transfer window opens, there remains the possibility that Keita may move on in a cut-price deal.
Before the Reds return to competitive action against Manchester City in the League Cup, they’ll play two friendlies in Dubai. The first is against Lyon this Sunday before a clash with AC Milan the following Friday.
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