OpinionLiverpool’s Club World Cup detour raises a number of concerns: is the Qatar trip worthwhile?
- Liverpool could do without the added two games in their hectic schedule
- Jurgen Klopp will approach the tournament competitively, but will be eager to avoid injuries
That said, it could have been much worse for Klopp. The German has an eight-point cushion at the top of the table going into the match against Watford at Anfield and the round of Premier League fixtures that Liverpool miss features a clash between Leicester City and Manchester City, the two sides in closest pursuit. A scratch squad of youth teamers will face Aston Villa in the quarter-final of the EFL Cup on Tuesday but defeat at Villa Park would cause no consternation. Klopp has his eyes on bigger prizes.
Liverpool will take their two games in Doha seriously, despite their reservations. The club have never been world champions. They had the chance twice in the 1980s but treated the contest like a friendly.
In 1981 Bob Paisley’s side were beaten 3-0 by Flamengo – who Liverpool will likely meet in the final this time around. Before that game in Tokyo the manager instructed his players not to tackle their Brazilian opponents. Joe Fagan continued that policy three years later when Argentina’s Independiente triumphed 1-0 against a disengaged Liverpool.