It is pre-season time for football clubs around the world. Teams will be looking to make full use of it before they go full tilt for their respective domestic and other titles. Similarly, English giants Liverpool are set to take Wigan Athletic on Friday.
Fans might be impatient with the transfers which have been taking shape in Liverpool. However, one of their signings, Mohamed Salah, could feature for the first time in Liverpool colours.
Liverpool started their pre-season brightly beating Tranmere Rovers with ease and will be eager to continue that against Wigan as well. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has got an even greater pool of players to choose from including the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana for this match against Wigan.
It would be interesting to see how well can Coutinho, Lallana and Salah combine as these players need to develop a great understanding before the league starts.
Such pre-season matches give the team a real chance to get players back to fitness, and also try and see the different combinations, which can be used. Liverpool, primarily, will have to try and find a Plan B through this pre-season, which was not present last season.
Also, there are some fringe players like Lazar Markovic and also some young guns, who will be keen to impress Klopp and hope to break into the team.
With such stars playing for Liverpool, Wigan has a tough task in their hand, but it gives them a real chance to test their players. Liverpool is a far superior team, and playing against the Reds will help them improve in various departments.
Manager Paul Cook is looking forward to the game and understands how tough it is going to be.
"It's just a great game isn't it – a great game for everyone. When you are such a big fan of a club, it just adds that extra spice. But you also have to be professional, and look at it from a football point of view. It's going to be a tough game," Cook told Wigan post.
Where to watch live
Liverpool vs Wigan Athletic match is scheduled for 7:30 pm local time, 12 am IST. There is no live TV coverage of the match in India.
Viewers in UK can watch the match on LFC TV, with live streaming on LFC TV GO.
