Liverpool are being put through their paces as Jurgen Klopp looks to get his squad in shape for another gruelling season.
The Reds fell below their usual high standards last season after finishing fifth in the Premier League and without a trophy, though the first-team squad members will be eager to put things right next term and challenge for silverware once again.
Pre-season began for certain players on July 8, with the remainder of the group returning to the AXA Training base yesterday morning. Among those to make an appearance on Tuesday were Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, who were welcomed into the group by their new team-mates.
Footage has since emerged of their first session with the group, and there were plenty of moments that caught the eye.
READ MORE: And the James Milner award goes to' - New Liverpool lactate test champion crowned
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Klopp gets in on the act
After Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah couldn't resist the temptation of poking fun at Jordan Henderson, Klopp also chose to get in on the act as the pair stopped for a chat in the gym.
The Liverpool captain appeared in top physical condition during the behind-the-scenes video shared by the club, with Robertson and Salah asking if this had anything to do with the images shared by Henderson of himself boxing while on holiday.
Klopp, too, was keen to find out more and could be heard saying 'boxing?' to the captain before the pair began to laugh.
Gakpo growing in confidence
The Reds' January recruit certainly made his mark during the second half of last season, slotting seamlessly into Klopp's side after joining from PSV Eindhoven.
Roberto Firmino's departure has ensured the Dutchman is likely to be relied upon even more in 2023/24, a challenge he is likely to relish after appearing fully settled on Merseyside.
Gakpo certainly does not depict a player who only arrived earlier this year during the training footage released by Liverpool, with the 24-year-old coming across as a senior figure who has been at the club for some time. This can only be a good thing for the club and suggests the best could yet be to come from the forward.
Trent stunned by Szoboszlai
The dreaded lactate test was on the agenda on Tuesday afternoon, leaving a number of stars out of breath and struggling to cross the finish line.
With James Milner no longer around, it was down to other individuals to step up and stamp their authority as the new fitness king. Salah certainly made a strong effort at doing just this, as did Szoboszlai. The Hungarian midfielder completed the challenge with relative ease, leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold stunned and turning to Gakpo over how simple the £60m summer signing made this look.
Asked if he found the running involved straightforward, Szoboszlai responded: "No comment."
Van Dijk makes light of World Cup exit
Virgil van Dijk won’t have fond memories of his exit from the 2022 World Cup, which occurred at the quarter-final stage after a penalty shootout defeat to Argentina.
In what was an ill-tempered contest that produced a total of 11 yellow cards, Argentina came out on top after a 3-2 win on spot-kicks and would go on to later win the tournament.
Despite the disappointment of this evening, Van Dijk took a moment to appreciate to Mac Allister’s wallpaper showing the midfielder lifting the World Cup trophy. Picking up the phone of the midfielder, the Dutch defender smiled in his direction as a show of respect for his achievement.
