In a recent interview with Liverpool’s official website, Jurgen Klopp provided an update on the availability of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino for the FA Community Shield encounter versus Manchester City this weekend. Following the Reds’ 3-1 victory against Olympique Lyonnais at Geneva yesterday, Klopp said (via liverpoolfc.com), “Mo is naturally fit and he can sprint all day, which us helps of course.
“It opens up the pitch, you can play much more football – not always between the lines. If you from time-to-time chip the ball in behind the line, then Mo makes these offers which is very important for us.
“Bobby in between the lines and in the box [was] present [and] really important.”
“I don’t know yet in the moment, so that’s how it is. We have to see.
“I don’t say 100 per cent not, there’s a chance that they will play, yes. They will be involved whenever, from the start, maybe we cannot make these [number of] changes like today [against Lyon] after half an hour or whatever, that’s maybe not possible in that game, so we have to see.
“We have to see how they react tomorrow. Now training is not the highest intensity anymore, now training is about the detail [and] we really need to prepare the game.”
Klopp’s Positive Update: Huge Boost For Liverpool?
Klopp’s words have revealed that there is a chance for the dynamic duo to play from the start against the Citizens which will be a huge boost for the Merseyside outfit as they look to earn a win at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Salah And Firmino: Liverpool’s Dazzling Duo
Both Salah and Firmino were instrumental behind Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League success last season. With Sadio Mane still missing in action at the moment, Klopp will depend on the attacking pair to deliver on the offensive end of the field.
Both players had scored 43 goals and created 21 assists between themselves in the previous campaign which saw the Reds miss out on the Premier League title by a point. However, this Sunday could be the perfect opportunity for Klopp to exert some revenge against Man City.
Salah is one of the fastest players in European football so his blistering pace could cause a lot of problems for Pep Guardiola’s defenders this weekend. On the other hand, Firmino has proven in the past that he can come up with some big goals against high-profile oppositions. The Brazilian forward will undoubtedly be a thorn on Man City’s side if he can recover in time for the match. The Liverpool number 9 will fancy his chances of getting his name on the scoresheet on Sunday.
What Should Be Klopp’s Play On Sunday?
All in all, Liverpool will benefit if the duo are fit and available for selection as they can turn out to be real difference-makers against the English champions at Wembley. However, at the same time, Klopp would be wise not to risk playing them too much before the Premier League season opener against Norwich City later this month.
