It’s poised to be a summer with a difference for Liverpool this summer with Jurgen Klopp finding himself in the rather rare position of knowing he will have his entire first team squad back for the first day of a full pre-season training programme.
With the 2022 World Cup not taking place in Qatar until November, the Reds’ international stars won’t required staggered return dates following delayed holidays, leaving the German’s squad in a strong position to hit the ground running next term.
However, a greater number of senior players being available could limit the opportunity for some of Liverpool ’s younger stars to link up with the first team and take part in warm-up fixtures once pre-season gets underway.
READ MORE: Premier League have let Liverpool down yet again after controversial West Ham decision
VERDICT: Liverpool fans unleash perfect four-word chant as Champions League truth emerges
YOUR SHOUT: Rate the Liverpool players after 3-2 win over Villarreal
A plethora of Reds youngsters have featured for Klopp ’s ranks this season, and were in action for the Under-23s as their Premier League 2 campaign finished with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
And with assistant manager Pep Lijnders and elite development coach Vitor Matos watching on from the sidelines, keeping a close eye on the next generation, Liverpool’s preparations for the new season have already started.
“Our lads will be on standby for the first team and their run-in this season," Under-23s manager Barry Lewtas told the ECHO after beating United. “Pep and Vitor were here today. If they need anyone, they’re ready to go.
“We’ll have to wait and see (if any are needed for pre-season). It’s not just a numbers game, the manager and coaching staff, they want to see the kids.
“Maybe there will be an extra few seats on the flights. There is a real drive to get the young lads around the first team and us to try and integrate a style of play that suits that.
“We always say we try to be an imitation, a version of the first team and I think we’ve done that well in the second half of the season. So let’s just wait and see.”
Goals from Rhys Williams, Jack Bearne and a Shola Shoretire own goal saw the Under-23s beat United, with victory seeing them leapfrog the Red Devils to finish fourth in the Premier League 2 table after an impressive run in 2022. Unbeaten for the final eight league games of the season, the young Reds lost just once from 12 outings following the turn of the year.
Key to that upturn in form were Williams and Leighton Clarkson, who both returned to Anfield in January after loans to Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers were ended prematurely over a lack of game-time. And praising the duo after beating United, Lewtas admitted the next step for them is first team football when hinting another loan move could be on the cards.
“(They need) a better loan, sometimes loans work out in different ways,” he said. “It’s not for me to make assumptions of what they’re going to do next but it’s very obvious the next step for Rhys and Leighton is to play first team football.
“Sometimes for us it can work in different ways. Liam Millar for example, last year he did the first half of the season with us and we feel we got him ready to go to Charlton. Obviously he’s moved on since, it just worked the other way round for these guys.
“They’re in a really good place. They’ve had game-time. Fair play to Rhys, he trains with the first team every day. I know he pesters Vitor because he wants to play in the games as well.
“Harvey (Elliott) was here today too. That just shows the link is strong. If the lads aren’t playing for the first team, they want to play.”
When reflecting on the campaign as a whole, Lewtas was also delighted to see so many of his players feature for the first team over the course of the season, with 10 players making the step up from academy football to feature for Klopp for the first time over the course of the campaign.
And while league form might not have gone to plan during the first half of the season, the Under-23s boss reiterated that the primary aim is always helping the players make that next step.
“First and foremost we probably work our way down from there, that a number of our boys have played this year for the first team,” he explained. “We’ve had lads out on loan who have done well, (and) a few lads come back.
“That’s always important as well, when they come back trying to reintegrate them into the way we want to play. Rhys and Leighton, I think have done ever so well in the second half of the season.
“Overall I’m pleased. We want to win every game we can but we are realistic with where we are. The real pleasing bit is when we had our tough times, we spoke after a few losses earlier in the season, we kept working hard and we kept believing in what we were doing and the second half of the season has shown that.”
While the Premier League 2 season is now over, Liverpool Under-23s can finish the season on a further high with it not just Klopp’s senior ranks who are looking to end the campaign with a trophy win.
The young Reds take on Burnley in the Lancashire FA Senior Cup final on Wednesday night at the Lancashire County Ground in Leyland, kicking off 7.30pm. And speaking ahead of the game, Lewtas revealed how excited his squad are to have their own chance of silverware.
“The lads are looking forward to it. We entered the competition to try and get the experiences we’ve had so far,” he said. “Preston and Blackpool, they brought some first team players down.
“As you go through tournaments, it’s a final and the lads are really excited. We talked about how strong we wanted to finish the season. I know sometimes we can look at league tables and I understand that, but in reality, since Christmas our form has been as good as any.
“We know the place that we’re in. We’re now playing a tough Burnley side, they’re a good team and we'll have to see how it goes.”
