Old rivals Manchester United and Liverpool are up against each other in Bangkok in the major fixture of the pre-season tour.
It may be a friendly game, but there is nothing friendly about this tie. Both sets of fans detest one another as the rivalry is seen both on and off the pitch.
Pre-Season friendly: Manchester United vs Liverpool Preview
Tuesday’s game will mark the first of the many matches between the two biggest clubs in England. Rivals Man United are again under new management. Dutchman Erik Ten Hag takes charge of his first match as Reddevil’s boss.
As per what United fans say, the Reddevils are currently under a rebuilding process, but Manchester United are under rebuilding for the hundredth time in last ten years. Moreover, the team is more into the news because of their off-the-field saga with Cristiano Ronaldo, and furthermore, the lack of signings testing United fans’ patience.
On the contrary, Liverpool are playing their best football, with stability on and off the pitch. The Reds have managed to get their summer targets early in the transfer window and looking forward to starting from where they left last season.
Liverpool fans are anticipating seeing new signings in the Reds shirt, with the likes of Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho who are included in Klopp’s 37-man squad for the pre-season tour.
However, another new signing Calvin Ramsay has a little injury and is currently not on the preseason tour. Speaking to reporters Klopp says, via the Daily Mirror:
Unfortunately, Calvin is now not training with us in the moment, he has a little injury. Nobody knew, we found it when he did his medical check. Until today he has no problems,
But the medical department tells us if we don’t take care for that now, he will have a problem in the future. So, when you are that young then of course he has a long career ahead of him, so we are very responsible in these moments.
Moreover, teenager Kaide Gordon and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher have also not flown to the far east.
Nevertheless, Tuesday’s game will be intriguing to see two managers and their styles of play. As we all know Klopp likes to play very direct with high press, while Ten Hag likes to keep hold of the ball and control each match.
It may well be an exhibition match, but Klopp will expect his side to dominate the struggling United team.
Klopp’s pre-season squad:
Goalkeepers
Alisson Becker, Adrian, Harvey Davies, Fabian Mrozek
Defenders
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, Nathaniel Phillips, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Sepp Van den Berg, Virgil van Dijk, Rhys Williams, Stefan Bajcetic, Luke Chambers, James Norris
Midfielders
Leighton Clarkson, Harvey Elliott, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Curtis Jones, Naby Keita, James Milner, Tyler Morton, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara, Fabio Carvalho, Melkamu Frauendorf, Thomas Hill, Isaac Mabaya
Forwards
Luis Diaz, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Bobby Clark
