With less than a week until Liverpool travel to the Etihad to host Manchester City, the countdown has begun.
There’s still plenty to do this week in terms of international competition. However, work is underway at the AXA Training Center to determine which team Jurgen Klopp can field on Saturday.
Part of that job will be finding out if Ryan Gravenburch is ready to start the biggest game of his Liverpool career after two games behind him.
After struggling in the 11th inning for the Reds, Gravenberch was struck out before halftime. Klopp now says he expects the 21-year-old to be fit and ready after the break. Then Gravenbirch will face City.
From the start of his time at Anfield, it was clear that Bayern had made a huge mistake in letting the Dutchman leave. Pep Linder’s decision to call Gravenberch a brilliant, technically brilliant and “special” player was fully justified.
Where Liverpool have previously faltered in midfield against City, the former Ajax man could give them the ‘X-factor’ they have lacked at times. Liverpool will hope for Gravenburch’s recoveryWe don’t envy Jurgen’s participation in Saturday’s competition.
With Pep Guardiola’s players deciding to retire from the national team altogether, United have not resorted to such underhand tactics. The last “suspect” of the game is Erling Holland.
But between you and me, we’d be very surprised if the Norwegian and his fellow patients didn’t magically reappear. Meanwhile, starter Alexis McAllister is scheduled to play for the Argentina national team in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday morning.
If Gravenberg, Mac Allister and Dominik Soboslay are Klopp’s preferred midfield trio, the Hungarian appears to be the only player who will be fit for the match.
Shows once again how silly it is to schedule such a game at 12.30 on a Saturday after the international break. Klopp is right to be upset about this.But no matter how crazy it is, nothing will change.
If Gravenbirch doesn’t fit in behind AXA’s closed doors, he may not be ready. When he comes back, we’ll have over a week to train and prepare. With Mc Allister and Szoboslai not having that luxury, Jurgen may have to rely on the number 38 to take over. Let’s hope it’s good.
