Liverpool players were put through their paces following their 4-0 pre-season loss to Manchester United on Wednesday as they arrived to sweltering conditions in Singapore.
Last season’s FA Cup and Carabao Cup winners started pre-season in Bangkok, Thailand on Tuesday with a shock defeat to big rivals Manchester United in what was United’s first match under new manager Erik ten Hag, with Jadon Sancho, Fred, Anthony Martial and Facundo Pellistri all getting on the scoresheet.
For Liverpool, it was the first of their five scheduled pre-season friendlies and their first of two in Asia, taking on Premier League rivals Crystal Palace in Singapore on Friday. Ahead of their meeting with Patrick Vieira's Eagles, Liverpool arrived in Singapore on Wednesday morning and were straight back in training.
Klopp’s squad were pictured training in the hot and humid conditions. with temperatures currently around the low 30s at the minute. After Tuesday's defeat in Bangkok, Klopp admitted the game had come "too early" for his side as they build fitness in pre-season.
Klopp said: "Obviously the game came a little bit too early for us, for some of our boys, so I think we agree that we saw a lot of good things in this game, but in the decisive moments we were not clear enough with finishing our situations off.
"We gave massive chances away, pretty much. Pretty much no-brainers, but United did well in these moments, they finished the situations off.
"We admit that, but that's it pretty much. The most important thing now after the game, even when I hate losing, everybody has 30 minutes in their legs now, for some on the third day of training [that's] really harsh but that's the life of a professional football player. So now we can work with that and will work with that."
Among the group training in Singapore was Mohamed Salah, who recently signed a new contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2025, making him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
Also training was striker Darwin Nunez, who made his debut after his big-money move from Benfica during that defeat to United on Tuesday and has been continuing his preparations ahead of a debut campaign in the Premier League.
During the game, Uruguayan international Nunez had a big chance to open his account for his new club, but missed from close range in a clip that has since gone viral for all of the wrong reasons.
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Speaking on the chance, Klopp defended the ex-Benfica forward after blazing over the bar from after Mohamed Salah’s initial effort crashed off the post.
“What you could see is the boys were already searching for him,” said Klopp. “It was his third session (since arriving for pre-season training) and I think after the third sprint his lungs were nearly ready to explode.
“We nearly killed him with these balls but he offered the runs and the boys wanted to pass the ball, that is for sure one of his strengths. He was dangerous, all these kinds of things.
“So Darwin, we will see. I think his profile is a proper No 9 so that's helpful with speed and aggression and using his body, all these kinds of things.”
As well as Nunez, Liverpool have signed playmaker Fabio Carvalho this summer from Fulham. The Portuguese teenager also made his debut in the defeat to the Red Devils. A number of youngsters also featured as Klopp rotated through over 30 players in the game and gave plenty of new faces first-team experience.
