"Bayern Secures Victory Against Liverpool"
LIVERPOOL 3-4 BAYERN MUNICH: Jurgen Klopp’s team led 2-0 and 3-2 against Thomas Tuchel’s Bundesliga champions but fell short in Singapore.
Liverpool finished their Asian tour with a close loss to Bayern Munich in Singapore.
Cody Gakpo gave the Reds an early lead as Jurgen Klopp’s side attempted to build on their earlier pre-season friendly victory against Leicester. They were fortunate to remain in ahead after Benjamin Pavard missed a fantastic opportunity from point-blank range.
Shortly before the half-hour mark, Virgil van Dijk increased the Premier League side’s lead, headed home from a corner, but Serge Gnabry evaded the offside trap to equalize soon after. Before the break, it was 2-2, with Leroy Sane capping off a fast break by slotting past Alisson.
Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Ibrahima Konate were introduced before halftime, with Bayern also making changes. Harvey Elliott, Joe Gomez, and Kostas Tsimikas all came on around the hour mark, and half-time newcomer Diaz restored Liverpool’s lead with a neat first touch and forceful finish.
Bayern equalized again with Josip Stanisic after both teams made more substitutions. Despite the possibility of a penalty shoot-out if the game finished all-square, neither club was willing to accept a draw, and Frans Kartzig lashed a late effort beyond Alisson to give the Bundesliga champions victory.
With Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Chelsea less than a fortnight away, Jurgen Klopp had enough to think about, while his opposing number Thomas Tuchel also has decisions to make. Mirror Football has selected five talking points.
1. Mac Allister injury worry
The departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho necessitate new signings. This season, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister will be performing a lot of heavy lifting. The pair started together for the first time against Bayern, providing a preview of what to expect this season.The two appeared to be tasked with fast recycling the ball to assist the Reds break at will while pushing the opponents back. This worked well when the Reds took the lead, but they got a taste of their own medicine when Bayern scored their second.
Mac Allister went down with a knee injury late in the first half, causing some concern. He didn’t return for the second half, and Klopp will be hoping it’s nothing severe after missing Szoboszlai earlier in the preseason.
2. Jones the holder
Klopp lauded Fabinho’s willingness to perform the dirty work when he joined Al Ittihad. There have been worries about whether the Reds may need to go to the transfer market to replace such traits, but for the time being, Curtis Jones is filling the job.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been deployed in a deeper midfield role throughout preseason, and Klopp believes the England international can play as a six. He was back at full-back this time, and he may have felt he should have been in a better position to deny Gnabry for Bayern’s first goal.
3. Van Dijk leading by example
Virgil van Dijk was named Liverpool’s official club captain for the first time, though he had previously worn the armband. Following Jordan Henderson’s departure, the Dutch captain took over on a permanent basis, calling it as a “huge honor,” and was actively involved against Bayern.
First, some crucial defending, sneaking in to thwart Alphonso Davies as the Bayern Munich star made a late rush forward. Then came the goal, a confident header after rising highest to meet a right-wing corner.
However, there were some defensive concerns. The alterations to Alexander-Arnold’s role may force Liverpool to take more defensive risks this season, putting additional emphasis on Van Dijk’s organizational skills, but competitive football will be the true litmus test.
4. Selection headache up front
Darwin Nunez’s performance against Leicester demonstrated that he is not yet ready to be cast off as a flop. However, the Uruguayan was moved to the bench for the Bayern encounter, and Cody Gakpo lost no time in demonstrating his own quality with a thunderous finish for Liverpool’s opener.
Nunez got the second 45 minutes, almost scoring right away but heading wide from close range. Instead, it was Diaz, who some saw as an outlier, who reminded everyone of his offensive ability.
With no Champions League action this season, the demand for fierce competition may not be as acute. But it’s a good problem for Jurgen Klopp to have.
5. Bayern’s Kane dilemma
Bayern Munich is still looking for a striker, and Thomas Tuchel remains a fan of Harry Kane. While the Bavarians had little trouble obtaining the internet in Singapore, it was clear to understand why they may benefit from a focus point.
Tuchel’s team posed a threat from wide areas, as proven by Gnabry and Sane scoring. However, central forward Mathys Tel appeared isolated at times, and Kane would surely be an upgrade.
Kane has stated that he will not quit Spurs following the start of the Premier League season if they are in danger. With that in mind, and in light of this performance, Bayern may be seeking to accelerate their pursuit of the England captain.
