Here is your Liverpool morning digest for Wednesday, March 22.
Liverpool may already have pre-season tour plan plotted out for next three years
Last summer saw Liverpool return to some normality with their pre-season plans.
The COVID-19 pandemic had put a stop to the globetrotting of clubs ahead of new campaigns from 2020, with football played behind closed doors and the many issues related to travelling abroad making it almost impossible for clubs to get the benefit of why they truly head to different territories; the commercial boost.
Liverpool made the trip to the Far East ahead of this current campaign, taking in visits to Thailand and Singapore. The decision to head to that particular territory was born from a need to deliver for some commercial partners in the region who hadn’t had access to the Reds since the summer of 2017 when they visited Hong Kong. The 2018 and 2019 pre-season tours had both taken in the USA.
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Last summer’s plans were also somewhat truncated due to the World Cup in Qatar taking place in November and December, meaning that the 2023/24 preparations, for the first time in four years, will truly be back to normal.
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FA must look at themselves over Aleksandar Mitrovic incident after Bruno Fernandes at Liverpool
The focus of those post-match conversations would soon shift quite significantly, and not for the better, in the following 15 or so minutes when Mitrovic, Willian and Marco Silva turned themselves from heroes to villains.
Their successive moments of individual madness, starting with the Brazilian’s handball off the line, ensured Fulham would not be making the short trip north of the River Thames next month for their first FA Cup semi-final appearance since 2002 as the Red Devils rallied back to win 3-1 against the nine men of Fulham.
Though Willian’s blushes, and perhaps even those of his manager, would ultimately be sparred by the stupidity of Mitrovic, who in a moment of complete delirium pushed referee Chris Kavanagh before launching a rant in protest against his decision to award a clear penalty to Erik Ten Hag’s side.
Most reading this will have likely seen the unwelcome scenes that unfolded during those 120 seconds of disorder on Sunday afternoon, making it little surprise that there is such a troubling shortage of referees readied for the next generation as abuse at grassroots levels continues to soar to new heights on a weekly basis up and down the country.
READ NEXT:
Liverpool may already have pre-season tour plan plotted out for next three years
- 'You need to watch this kid' - Liverpool dressing room was wowed by three 'special' academy talents
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UEFA have just handed Liverpool and FSG a major challenge after Paris-Saint Germain decision
- I'm sure Trent Alexander-Arnold will improve - but he and Jurgen Klopp have work to do
