Liverpool’s players didn’t have much time to dwell on their first defeat of the season as they were back in training ahead of the start of the Champions League this week .
Arne Slot put his squad through their paces at the AXA Training Centre as the Reds prepare for their trip to AC Milan on Tuesday. They’ll be aiming to put Saturday’s disappointing defeat to Nottingham Forest firmly behind them as they begin their European campaign.
Having stuck with the same starting XI for the past three games now, Slot may well be eyeing up some changes in Milan, especially with the games coming thick and fast over the next few weeks. The revamped Champions League means there will be two extra games for Liverpool to contend with before the end of the year.
And some of those aiming for a start will have been trying to catch their head coach’s eye this afternoon. Here’s a look at what Liverpool.com spotted from today’s training session.
Chiesa eager to impress
Many would have been expecting Federico Chiesa to make his Liverpool debut on Saturday against Nottingham Forest, but Slot chose not to gamble on the Italy international, who still doesn’t have all that much training in his legs compared to his teammates.
Strangely though, he probably strengthened his case to feature against Milan without even kicking a ball at Anfield. With Mohamed Salah having a rare off day, the Reds certainly could have done with Chiesa as an option off the bench.
Whether he will get the nod in his home country tomorrow remains to be seen, although he is doing all he can to try and catch the Liverpool coaching staff’s attention. The 26-year-old was one of the first players to make their way out for training today, alongside Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate .
That alone won’t be enough to earn him a spot in tomorrow’s squad of course, although the argument for him to make his debut is growing.
New threads
The start of the European campaign brings with it a new look for Liverpool as the Reds sported their new training gear ahead of the trip to Milan.
Clubs never miss an opportunity to sell more merchandise these days, so when it comes to their European exploits, a new training kit gets a run-out. Liverpool’s new offering sees the players and staff donning a grey top with yellow trim around the collar and on the sleeves near the wrists, with darker-colored shorts also sporting a yellow streak.
The Scouser(s) in our team
Curtis Jones may be one of the players who comes into consideration should Slot decide to mix things up after Saturday’s defeat. Having made his return to training last week following a slight injury, the midfielder came off the bench at the weekend, although he couldn’t inspire the misfiring Reds to a result.
He ended up sharing a spot in midfield with Trent Alexander-Arnold by the end of the game as Slot tried to throw everything at Forest to no avail. The pair were seen deep in conversation with each other as they made their way out for training, possibly discussing what they could have done differently a couple of days ago.
You’d have to think it’s unlikely we’ll see Alexander-Arnold in midfield again in a hurry. The Liverpool vice-captain didn’t have the best of games on Saturday, and his performance only seemed to deteriorate as he moved further forward.
With Alexis Mac Allister coming off after just an hour following concerns over his fitness while on international duty though, there could be a role for Jones in tomorrow’s game. Whether that is starting or off the bench, he might well get more than the 15 minutes he was handed at the weekend.
Darwin being Darwin
The mood might well have been a bit down among the players so soon after their defeat at the weekend. It certainly was for the fans as they woke up on Monday.
The squad though didn’t show too many signs of the disappointment that would have no doubt been lingering from Saturday in training. And you can always rely on one or two of them to lift the spirits.
Darwin Nunez perhaps has more reason than most to be frustrated with the amount of game time he’s been afforded so far this season, although he seemed to be in a playful mood as he made his way out for training, lifting his training top over his head as he walked alongside Mac Allister and Luis Diaz .
The Uruguay international will certainly be in with a shout of starting tomorrow, if nothing else just to give Diogo Jota a rest. In what feels like a make-or-break season for Nunez, hopefully he can kick-start his campaign soon and force his way into Slot’s side, starting tomorrow in Milan.
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