Liverpool 1 Dortmund 3: Five talking points from friendly defeat including Joel Matip's injury woe
Five games into pre-season and Liverpool suffer first defeat
Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the pre-season schedule ended after a 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Charlotte. Virgil van Dijk put Liverpool ahead in the first half before Christian Pulisic, previously a Klopp target, levelled in the 66th minute with a controversial penalty.
Pulisic then added the second a minute from time before substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen scored a third in injury time to punish a weakened Liverpool squad. Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Xherdan Shaqiri, Dejan Lovren, Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and, of course, new £65m signing Alisson are still yet to play in pre-season for a squad that will be far stronger than the one here.
Loris Karius is facing an uncertain future
Only four minutes had elapsed when Karius rushed out his goal to produce a poor clearance straight at Borussia Dortmund forward Maximilian Philipp. It only underlined why Klopp has spent £67million on Allison for it appears, sadly, that Karius is still suffering from that chastening evening in the Champions League final. For Dortmund’s late third goal, he was again unconvincing. Allison will make his Liverpool debut against Napoli on August 4 and Klopp has already openly admitted the Brazilian will be his No. 1, leaving Karius facing a bleak future on Merseyside.
Joel Matip’s injury problems continue
Matip was speaking confidently about overcoming his injury problems 24 hours before this pre-season friendly but his afternoon lasted only 18 minutes. It appeared to be a recurrence of the thigh problem which ended his campaign last season and this is dreadful timing for the Cameroon international. The defender could now be doubtful for the start of the Premier League season and with Dejan Lovren not expected back until next month, it is an injury blow Klopp could have done without.
Big season ahead for Adam Lallana
After missing out on the World Cup with England – less than a year after Gareth Southgate suggested he was one of the national team’s key players – this is a huge 12 months for Adam Lallana. He made only 13 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions last season after a succession of injuries and he badly needs an upturn in fortune. The midfielder played 45 minutes here, displaying some nice touches in attacking areas, and is targeting a place against West Ham on the opening day.
Remember Lazar Markovic?
This was a rare appearance for Markovic, who has not played a competitive game for Liverpool since May 2015. He has been sent out on loan to Fenerbahce, Sporting Lisbon, Hull City and Anderlecht and there remains little hope of him earning a reprieve under Jurgen Klopp. The Serbian attacker has one year left on his Anfield contract and this was quite clearly a chance for Klopp to put him in the shop window for another move away, either on loan or permanent. He made little impression, however.
