Steven Gerrard believes the lull in action during the World Cup will benefit Liverpool and hopes Jurgen Klopp’s side will “fly away” when domestic football returns next week.
The FA Cup champions, who are currently in Dubai for a training camp, travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City in the League Cup on December 22 before returning to Premier League action against Aston. Village on Boxing Day.
The Reds have won just six of their first 14 league games this term, but Scouser expects his former team to finish the campaign strongly.
“Yes it is [like a second pre-season]. It’s an opportunity to work a lot on the training ground. [and] reset some things,” Gerrard told Liverpoolfc.com of the team’s Anfield training camp in the Middle East.
“I am sure that Jürgen and his coaching staff are doing a lot of things tactically, but [it’s] also an opportunity to have a much-needed rest. They have played a lot of football in recent years, they participated in all competitions last year.
“So having a little preseason before kicking a ball [and then] To get this chance to rest and then have a second build, I expect Liverpool to fly out of the blocks.
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“I expect a very strong six months and a season finale because important players have had the opportunity to rest and recover and the players [who have been] In the World Cup he must return full of confidence, in a good place, physically prepared.
“I’m looking forward to a really strong and exciting end to the season for the Reds.”
There are plenty of reasons for Reds fans to be optimistic ahead of the return of club football.
We may be sixth in the table and already 15 points behind league leaders Arsenal, but we are still competing on all four fronts and have a Champions League round of 16 tie with Real Madrid for the next year.
Our start to the campaign was far from ideal, but before the World Cup break we had won eight of our last ten games (in all competitions) and were coming into some form.
The hope is that we can continue that form from our clash with Pep Guardiola’s team next week.
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