Liverpool wasted no time in putting Tuesday’s heavy defeat to Manchester United behind them as they bounced back to clinch their first win of pre-season against Crystal Palace in Singapore on Friday.
Goals in each half from Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah were enough for the Reds to clinch a comfortable 2-0 win, however, Jurgen Klopp ’s side were dealt one blow after losing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to injury shortly before half-time. Later confirmed to be a hamstring injury, the injury sees the England international join Diogo Jota, Alisson Becker, Joe Gomez, Calvin Ramsay and Caoimhin Kelleher on the sidelines.
Changing his entire XI at half-time, Klopp used 32 players against the Eagles as victory saw Liverpool get their hands on the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy. But you already knew that, of course. Away from the main action, here are some of the moments from the Reds’ second pre-season outing you might have missed…
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New number for Salah
The number 10 shirt is the most acclaimed in football, thanks to legends such as Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Yet after Sadio Mane ’s move to Bayern Munich, the jersey is currently vacant at Liverpool.
Unallocated at the start of a season for the first time in Premier League history, a number of great players have donned the shirt in recent years, with the Senegalese inheriting it from Philippe Coutinho and Michael Owen and John Barnes two of its most famous previous holders.
Yet there was nearly another Liverpool number 10 in Singapore once the teamsheet dropped, as Mohamed Salah was listed as wearing the number rather than his traditional number 11.
Seeing as he wears the jersey for Egypt, it wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility that the forward had traded in. And seeing as Mane had taken it up following Coutinho’s exit, was the 30-year-old following in his former strike-partner’s footsteps?
Alas no, the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy final teamsheet was, perhaps unsurprisingly, not an unorthodox reveal for Salah claiming the most famous of shirt numbers. Rather, a simple typo with footage from the dressing room posted on the club’s social media accounts soon showing his name on his traditional shirt.
I suppose 11 hasn’t served him too badly over the past five years! And while he might not have donned number 10 on his back in Singapore, he at least did finish the game as Liverpool captain after Klopp’s final nine substitutions left him as the most senior player on the pitch.
Clapping Carvalho
Fabio Carvalho was Liverpool’s standout performer against Manchester United on Tuesday, and while he wasn’t as lively against Crystal Palace, he still made his presence felt after coming on at half-time against the Eagles.
Unfortunate not to net a debut goal after hitting the post against the Red Devils, he came close one again on Friday after taking on his man before pending a shot at goal, only to be denied by a flying save from Vincent Guaita.
Although he didn’t score, he still impressed his team-mates and Mohamed Salah in particular who applauded the effort. Not a bad endorsement!
Clarkson’s cameo
With Jurgen Klopp utilising 32 players against Crystal Palace, he changed his starting XI at half-time, before making a further nine substitutes with 12 minutes left, ensuring all of his matchday squad gained minutes as a result.
But spare a thought for Leighton Clarkson, who would have likely been a tenth substitute late on had it not been for an injury to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before half-time.
With Liverpool’s starting XI for the second half warming up ahead of coming on, the Reds opted against introducing one of the side a couple of minutes early as the academy graduate was given the call from the bench instead.
But as a result, he played only a couple of minutes before being substituted himself at the interval. Substituting a substitute isn’t perhaps as cold in a pre-season friendly as it would be in a competitive fixture, but Clarkson was handed the briefest of cameo appearances as a result.
Milner’s still got it
Having finished last season strongly before signing a new one-year contract, James Milner has looked in impressive form already this pre-season and that was certainly the case as he lined up at right-back against Crystal Palace.
One of the fittest players in the Liverpool squad, he linked up well with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Harvey Elliott throughout the first half and was never shy of getting forward.
One particular highlight from the 36-year-old came on the half-hour mark inside the Palace box as he performed a flawless ‘Cruyff turn’ to turn away from Tyrick Mitchell. Unfortunately, a second Eagles defender then appeared and Milner was tackled as he stood on the ball in an attempt to wrong foot his opponent before being penalised for a shove.
Still, Milner is showing no signs of slowing down and having been one of Liverpool’s best performers against Palace, continues to show why Klopp was so keen to retain his services in the first place.
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