27-man Liverpool squad in training ahead of season opener – ‘best XI’ present

Arne Slot has a clean bill of Health across his first-team squad as he prepares for the season opener against Ipswich on Saturday, with 27 players involved in training on Thursday.

In less than 48 hours we will know if the Reds have kicked off the new campaign with three points when they travel to one of the three newly promoted sides.

For now, the positive news is that Slot has a full senior squad to pick from for the league meeting, with everyone emerging from the Anfield double-header last weekend unscathed.

Andy Robertson, who got 61 minutes under his belt against Las Palmas, was involved as players trained in the gym before moving to the outdoor pitches at the AXA Training Centre.

Rain, obviously, greeted them in a stark contrast to the hot temperatures on Merseyside on Sunday!

Lovely day for it ??? pic.twitter.com/exaL8Ja7nt

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 15, 2024

It remains to be seen if Robertson will get the green light to start at Portman Road, with Kostas Tsimikas likely the frontrunner after proving to be an ever-present throughout pre-season.

Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jarell Quansah were all involved in the session and are likely to be in Slot’s first league XI.

Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley trained as normal, as did the likes of Stefan Bajcetic, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones – all of whom will be vying for a place on the bench.

Racing towards MD1 ? pic.twitter.com/dbDpPnXU94

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 15, 2024

With no new No. 6 signing, Ryan Gravenberch will have been put through his paces once again ahead of an expected start. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai will almost certainly join him.

The forward five are all fit heading into the new campaign, though it is Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz – despite continued rumours over his future – who Ipswich will expect to face from the first whistle.

Not everyone will agree on Liverpool’s current ‘best’ XI but that Slot can pick his for the first game is very much welcomed – no new signings and injuries would have been too much to handle.

Moreover, Sepp van den Berg and Tyler Morton are both on the transfer table this summer but they were spotted taking part in Thursday’s session.

---

Liverpool squad spotted in training on Thursday

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Kelleher, Davies

Defenders: Van Dijk, Quansah, Konate, Gomez, Phillips, Van den Berg, Alexander-Arnold, Bradley, Tsimikas, Robertson

Midfielders: Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Endo, Gravenberch, Elliott, Jones, Bajcetic, Morton, Nyoni

Forwards: Salah, Jota, Nunez, Diaz, Gakpo

Not pictured: Jaros, Pitaluga, Nallo, Scanlon, Blair, Doak, Gordon