Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is set to hand an opportunity to some of the younger members of his tour squad against Adelaide United on Monday, after naming a strong line-up for our win over Brisbane Roar.
Jordan Rossiter, Ryan Kent and Joe Maguire have all played a part during the first couple of games, while Dan Cleary, Pedro Chirivella and Sheyi Ojo are still waiting for an opportunity to show what they can do.
After going with a mix of youth and experience during the 4-0 thrashing of Thai All-Stars, Rodgers went with arguably his strongest possible team during the 2-1 win Down Under.
As a result, it’s likely to be all change during the third leg of our tour, with the likes of Lazar Markovic, Joe Allen and Dejan Lovren expected to play most of the match after being left on the bench last time out.
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Speaking about his likely selection, Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo: “I always like to bring young players on these tours and training camps. It’s great for their development and I get to take a good look at them.
“There’s always the opportunity there for them to stake a claim for the squad. If they show up then they will get an opportunity. That’s been shown by the way young players have been promoted in the past.”
We’ve put in two impressive performances so far, so with just three weeks now separating us from the start of the season, it’s important for the boys to push on and ensure their fitness and form is as strong as possible.
“We’re only 12 days into pre-season but the quality of the work in the training and in the games has been exceptional,” Rodgers added.
“There are two aspects to the tour. From a football perspective, the players are working very hard and the two games so far have been good tests for us, especially the one in Brisbane. I’m sure the game against Adelaide will be exactly the same.
“Equally important on this trip is visiting our supporters and the commercial side of the club. We were overwhelmed by the support we got in Australia two years ago. From every aspect, from the fitness of the players to the commercial and the business side it’s very important.”