Divock Origi, Sheyi Ojo Serve Reminder of Liverpool Forward Options in Milan Win

After a setback in their progress on Thursday, falling to a 1-0 defeat to Antonio Conte’s Chelsea in the International Champions Cup, Liverpool got back to their winning ways as the club’s summer preparations continued against two-time UEFA Champions League final opponents AC Milan.

Taking to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for their second ICC outing, Jurgen Klopp’s side brushed past the Serie A outfit courtesy of goals from Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino.

With Klopp’s squad nearing full strength on the inclusion of Origi, Daniel Sturridge, Nathaniel Clyne and summer signing Georginio Wijnaldum—who all sat out of the loss to Chelsea—the German is provided with a more accurate measure of where his side will be when they head into their Premier League opener in August.

The Reds will travel to Emirates Stadium on the first weekend of the season, taking on Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, and while speaking to reporters after the victory over Milan, Klopp insisted he was content with Liverpool’s “status quo,” as relayed by This is Anfield:

Klopp: I’m pleased with the performance of the whole squad.

— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) July 31, 2016

Klopp: We are in a good way, even against Chelsea we were dominant. I’m fine with the status quo in this moment… we have a long way to go.

— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) July 31, 2016

Klopp has placed an emphasis on improving his side on an overall level heading into his first full campaign as Reds manager, with a series of signings aiding their progress on the training field ahead of that crucial north London outing.

Off the field, former Bayern Munich fitness coach Andreas Kornmayer has been appointed to improve the output of Klopp’s ranks—suiting his intensive tactical demands—while Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane, Loris Karius, Alex Manninger, Joel Matip, Marko Grujic and Ragnar Klavan have been added to the first-team squad.

This serves to bolster Klopp’s options, and this is particularly the case in attack—as the substitute displays of Origi and Sheyi Ojo underlined in Santa Clara.

The 1⃣1⃣ Reds taking on AC Milan! pic.twitter.com/3kFdU45kkw

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 31, 2016

As Jordan Henderson led his team-mates out to a packed Levi’s Stadium on a warm evening in California, Klopp’s strong starting lineup revealed a potentially telling tactical development for the 2016/17 campaign: fielding his side in a 4-3-3 formation, the German signalled a departure from last season’s structure.

In 2015/16, Klopp largely utilised a 4-2-3-1 system, with a two-man midfield pivot providing the balance between a fluid, four-pronged attacking line, with Firmino, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho swarming around one of Origi or Sturridge.

But the additions of Mane and Wijnaldum this summer, for a combined £55 million, has seen Klopp remould his setup.

Against Milan, Liverpool began in an attack-heavy 4-3-3, with a back four of Klavan, Dejan Lovren, Trent Alexander-Arnold and James Milner shielding Simon Mignolet in …

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