Pre-season is a crucial time for every team, but the results in matches are a mere sideshow.
The weeks leading up to a Premier League campaign allow a manager and his players to prepare for the long season ahead, build up fitness levels, experiment with tactics and take a good look at the young stars hoping to push for first-team football. It’s a vital period in ensuring everyone is ready for when the first ball is kicked in early August.
For Liverpool, their preparations began early last week as the first group of players returned to the AXA Training centre in Kirkby. Others filtered in over the days that followed, while members of the squad involved in international fixtures throughout the summer joined up with the team as they arrived in Thailand over the weekend.
