Liverpool take on Leicester City this Saturday in the first game of the season at Anfield since the hallowed ground’s redevelopment.
Emre Can is among the notable absentees as Jurgen Klopp welcomed back several of his international stars. The German midfielder did not train as it looks like the ankle injury that he picked up against Burton Albion in the EFL Cup has not healed yet.
Saturday’s game will be the first home game of the season for Liverpool and the official unveiling of the new Main Stand after Anfield was redeveloped this summer. The stand was meant to be premiered against Burnley but it wasn’t ready in time and Liverpool requested to have the fixture moved to Turf Moor.
Klopp will be looking to improve on a start to the 2016/17 season which saw the Reds pick up only 4 points from a possible 9. This is his first full season in the Premier League and he will be doing his utmost to make the most of it.
There is the added pressure that Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have all taken 9 points from their first three games. That being said, they all spent large sums on players this summer whereas Klopp was more focused on cutting those who didn’t contribute to the team.
Despite widespread panic, Sadio Mane is fit and raring to go after fears that he picked up an injury while playing for Senegal in the African Cup of Nations. The forward even came out and confirmed that he is fit to play:
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Mane told Liverpoolfc.com, “I’m fit. It’s true I got a little kick in the back of the knee, but it was nothing special – it happened in the first half and I played for the rest of the game.
“I’d spoke with the coach and because we have new players, he wanted to try [them] and change me, so the substitution was not due to injury.