Pre-Season Focus: Liverpool
Liverpool would have been disappointed in their performance in the Premier League last season. In recent seasons, they have been Manchester City’s closest rivals to the Premier League title but last year it was a different story.
Manager Jurgen Klopp knew his Red’s side would require a rebuild and it has taken a couple of summers to achieve this but I firmly believe they will be there or thereabouts once again this campaign.
They were another club who have been able to take advantage of Saudi Arabian clubs splashing the cash when they were able to recoup most of the money they spent on club legend Jordan Henderson in 2011 when the midfielder joined Al-Ettifaq for a fee believed to be in the region of £12 million.
Stadium: Anfield.
Nickname(s): The Reds.
Founded: 1982.
Manager: Jurgen Klopp
Last Season: 5th
Top Scorer: Mohamed Salah (19)
Played for Villa and Liverpool
James Milner
Would it have been possible to do this feature on Liverpool’s Pre-Season Focus without mentioning James Milner? The midfielder began his professional career with Leeds United and went on to make 48 appearances during two years with the first team. Leeds fortunes were on the change and numerous players were being sold and against his wishes, Milner was sold to Newcastle in 2004. Milner continued to impress and made 94 appearances during a four-year spell at St James Park.
A clause in Newcastle’s purchase of Nolberto Solano meant that Milner would join Villa on loan during the 2005-06 season. The hard-working midfielder was impressed while at Villa that when he handed in a transfer request in August 2018, Villa was quick to snap up his services in 2008.
He instantly became a fan favourite at Villa Park and after the sale of Gareth Barry in 2009, he was moved into the centre of midfielder where he stepped up another level and was named Aston Villa Fans Player of the Season and PFA Young Player of the season.
At the end of the 2010 season, Manchester City made a £20 million offer but Villa insisted he would only be sold on their terms. The deal eventually went through for a fee believed to be in the region of £26 million with Stephen Ireland joining Villa as part of the deal. Milner made 100 appearances for the club during his two spells.
After five years at City, he joined Liverpool on a free transfer. During his time with The Reds, he was a crucial part of the team that won the Premier League and Champions League. He made 230 appearances during an 8-year spell on Merseyside that come to an end this summer when he joined Brighton on a free transfer.
Stan Collymore
Stan Collymore played at both Walsall and Wolverhampton Wanderers at youth level but it was his time at Stafford Rangers where he caught the eye of Crystal Palace for whom he signed in 1990. The forward followed his two years at Palace with a year at Southend but it is at Nottingham Forest that people started to stand up and take note of the big striker.
During a two-year spell at Forest, he scored 41 goals in 65 games which earned him a £8.5 million move to Liverpool, a record at the time for an English transfer. Partnering up with Robbie Fowler, Collymore started brightly but his starts become more sporadic towards the end of his two-year spell where he scored 28 goals in 64 appearances.
His exit from Liverpool was confirmed in May 1997 when he signed for his boyhood side, Aston Villa for a club record £7 million. His time at Villa won’t be remembered fondly with rumours of issues off the field. 7 goals in 46 appearances and a loan spell with Fulham where he flopped pretty much summed his time up.
He had spells with Leicester City, Bradford City and Real Oviedo before retiring at the age of 30.
Head to Head
Aston Villa: 59
Liverpool: 101
Drawn: 41
Last meeting: Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa
Last Win: Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool (4th October, 2020)
2023/24 Fixtures: H – 11th May ’24, A – 3rd September ’23.
Confirmed Transfers
IN: Dominik Szoboszlai (£60 million), Alexis Mac Allister (£35 million).
OUT: Fabinho (£40 million), Jordan Henderson (£12 million), Roberto Firmino (Free), Naby Keita (Free), James Milner (Free).
Transfer Rumours
IN: Roméo Lavia from Southampton (£50 million), Piero Hincapié from Bayer Leverkusen (£30 million).
OUT: N/A
Pre-Season
Karlsruher 2-4 Liverpool (July 19th)
Greuther Furth 4-4 Liverpool (July 24th)
Liverpool 4-0 Leicester (July 30th)
Liverpool 3-4 Bayern Munich (August 2nd)
Liverpool vs Darmstadt (August 7th)