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Liverpool’s Changing Midfield Dynamic Fuels 4-0 Pre-Season Win over Barcelona
- Updated: August 7, 2016
Liverpool rounded off their jaunt in the International Champions Cup on Saturday afternoon with an emphatic 4-0 victory over La Liga champions Barcelona. In front of a packed-out Wembley Stadium, their final match in the money-spinning pre-season tournament provided Jurgen Klopp with a major boost as he prepares for the 2016/17 season.
Strikes from Sadio Mane, Divock Origi and Marko Grujic added to a second-half own goal from ex-Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano to consign Luis Enrique’s star-studded side to a disappointing summer defeat.
Enrique called upon the likes of Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Arda Turan as he fielded a strong starting lineup in north-west London, highlighting a major test for Klopp’s Reds in their penultimate outing of a busy pre-season.
For Suarez, it was an emotional return against the side he spent three-and-a-half years with between 2011 and 2014, with the Uruguayan catching up with Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson before kick-off:
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But for Klopp and his Liverpool squad, it was an afternoon for business, as the German fine-tunes his selection in anticipation of next Sunday’s Premier League opener against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Though his former side Mainz 05 are to come on August 7, as their biggest challenge of the summer, the Reds’ trip to Wembley provided Klopp with the clearest picture of where his squad stands as they head into 2016/17—with one major tactical tweak from the German during the off-season proving to be influential.
Against Barcelona at Wembley, and throughout pre-season so far, Liverpool have operated with a new dynamic in midfield, and as was proved against Enrique’s side, this could bear a strong marker on their potential success this season.
Though his squad was hampered with a number of key injuries as he prepared to pit himself against the talented Enrique, Klopp called upon a formidable starting lineup on Saturday afternoon, particularly strong in the attacking sector.
Daniel Sturridge (hip), Lucas Leiva (hamstring), Joe Gomez (heel), Loris Karius (hand), Mamadou Sakho (heel) and Ovie Ejaria (groin) were all injured, but the 49-year-old was buoyed by the return of both Grujic (concussion) and Joel Matip (ankle).
Neither Grujic nor Matip started, however, with Klopp deploying the 4-3-3 formation which has been seen throughout pre-season.
In the absence of Karius, Simon Mignolet started in goal, behind a back four of Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Ragnar Klavan and James Milner, who is serving as deputy to first-choice left-back Alberto Moreno.
Klopp’s midfield saw a three-man unit of Emre Can, Georginio Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana support a fluid forward line of Mane, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, with this six-strong group providing the impetus to dominate throughout the first half.
Liverpool pressed high and in numbers, fed quick through passes for the pacy Mane to chase and combined with neat, intricate passing on the edge of the penalty area—benefiting from a weak Barcelona defence that featured France centre-back Jeremy Mathieu and 22-year-old …
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