It is not just the Main Stand that is new, however. Several players could make their first appearance at Anfield today, including new star Sadio Mané. After three tough away games to grace the new season, it will be a relief to get things underway on our own patch.
As well as Mané, Matip and Wijnaldum could be in line to experience the Anfield atmosphere. Additionally, there is a possibility that Serbian Marko Grujić could participate in some capacity against the Foxes. New signings, Ragnar Klavan and goalkeeper Karius are injured and not fully fit, respectively, so will not be available.
The players mentioned above summarise Liverpool’s summer transfer activity, not so much a spending spree, but perhaps shrewd selective buying – adding depth to a squad that was rather thin at times in previous seasons.
Sadio Mané has looked a great addition so far this season, providing an extra dimension that has been notably missing from Liverpool’s weaponry – pace and directness from wide positions; it is my own opinion, that this new attacking option will provide more space and time in and around the box for our technically gifted triumvirate: Coutinho, Firmino and Lallana.
Dutchman Wijnaldum also offers something fresh to Liverpool’s repertoire: goals from midfield (hopefully!). Although the former Newcastle man is yet to find the net for the Reds, he was known for this attribute whilst at the Toon. If he can replicate this at Anfield, it could be the difference between finishing in the top four and missing out on Champions League football. Goals from all over the field are the fine margins that separate the pack in a competitive league.
Liverpool have also strengthened defensively with the arrival of centre-backs, Klavan and Matip from the Bundesliga (Augsburg and Schalke respectively). It is still not entirely clear which of the pair will be the regular starter alongside Dejan Lovern, but the choice is a good one: statistically, Matip was the Bundesliga’s best defender last year, and Klavan has made 112 international appearances for the Estonian national team, and captains the side.
It was the saga surrounding another centre-back, that dominated the newspaper columns towards the end of the transfer window: the infamous Sakho-gate. After being sent home early from Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the USA, the Frenchman was reportedly asked to leave the club on loan for the duration of the campaign – with Sunderland and West Brom expressing interest. The defender declined the offers, claiming he was determined to fight for his place in the team.
Whether Klopp’s rationale surrounding Sakho’s potential loan move was to engineer his exit from the club, or to provide the best platform for the Frenchman to regain fitness following his lengthy ban, remains unclear. Regardless, the boss has now stated that the aim is for Sakho to get back to full fitness; once he does so, it will perhaps become clearer if his future lies at Liverpool.
Klavan and Matip were not the only arrivals from Bundesliga, with goalkeepers Loris Karius and veteran Alex Manninger also swapping Germany for Merseyside. The former arrived from Klopp’s former team FC Mainz 05, and like Matip, his statistics are impressive: after Manuel Neuer, he was the Bundesliga’s best goalkeeper last season. The German arrives to battle for the Number 1 spot with Simon Mignolet, who I consider to have had a good start to the campaign. Unlike Karius, however, Alex Manninger has arrived not to compete for the Number 1 spot, but to help develop the club’s other goalkeepers. The Austrian, who like Klavan also arrives from Augsburg, has played for clubs as strong as Arsenal, Juventus and Udinese. Additionally, he made 33 international appearances for Austria over a ten-year international career, making him well placed to improve the club’s younger keepers.
The only summer recruit not to arrive from another English club or the Bundesliga was Serbian midfielder, Marko Grujić. Moving from Belgrade outfit Red Star, the player was reportedly a target of fellow Serbian, and Liverpool’s assistant manager, Željko Buvač, who was crucial in sealing his transfer with interest expressed from a range of top European clubs. The midfielder looks to be a real talent, and possess technical ability, augmented by his physicality – at 6ft 3in he could be a unit in the middle of the park. Along with Emre Can, Liverpool have two exciting young midfielders who could grace Anfield for years to come.
The hope is that our new recruits can assimilate into Klopp’s style of play quickly and help us improve on last seasons domestic shortcomings. There may be some big teams, with top managers and strong finances for recruitment in the league, but as Liverpool fans we need to turn from doubters to believers. On our day, with Anfield rocking, we are as good as any team. Let's hope we show what we’ve got, starting today with Leicester.
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