Image Credits: Imago Images
Andoni Iraola could have at least four more players available for Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States after another dramatic day at the World Cup.
All eight of Liverpool’s representatives progressed from the group stage, but four have now been eliminated following the opening round of 32 fixtures.
Florian Wirtz provided the assist for Kai Havertz’s equaliser, but Germany were knocked out by Paraguay on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Boston on Monday.
Later that day, Cody Gakpo scored his third goal of the tournament to give the Netherlands the lead against Morocco in Monterrey.
However, the Atlas Lions equalised in stoppage time before winning the penalty shootout. Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch also started for the Dutch.
Liverpool’s players are due to report back to the AXA Training Centre on Monday, July 13, before the squad flies to the United States the following week for a three-match pre-season tour.
With their World Cup campaigns now over, Wirtz, Gakpo, Van Dijk and Gravenberch are expected to return to training during the fourth week of July, giving them a strong chance of linking up with the squad during the US tour.
Earlier on Monday, goalkeeper Alisson Becker helped Brazil come from behind to beat Japan and book their place in the last 16.
Liverpool will still have four players involved in the tournament this week. Alexander Isak’s Sweden face France on Tuesday, Victor Munoz’s Spain take on Austria on Thursday, and Alexis Mac Allister’s Argentina meet Cape Verde on Friday.
Andoni Iraola has vowed to treat every player in Liverpool’s squad as a “new signing” as he prepares for his first pre-season in charge of the club.
Iraola said: “For me, it’s much easier to continue in the Premier League in terms of knowing the squad. We’ve analysed Liverpool a lot – possible weaknesses, the strengths. I think we have a very good squad. I think there is still work to do, like normally in every club in this moment of the season.
“But right now, for me the thing is to value especially the players that we have right now in the squad. “For me, and I will tell them, [they] are all new signings.
“For me, you are all new signings and I think we have a lot of quality in our squad, and [I’m] really looking forward to working with them.”