Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he is expecting to deal with "angry" players next season due to the increased level of competition in the squad.
The Reds have only brought in three new faces so far this summer, but they have also kept hold of a number of players who were expected to leave while youngsters such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Woodburn and Ryan Kent should also compete for game time.
Klopp is eager for the whole squad to up their game in a bid to make it into the first team, and suggested that their return to European competition will provide more opportunities for the fringe players.
"We want to build on the same base as last year. I'm not in any doubt about that. Everybody thought: 'He's going, he's going, he's going' but so far nobody is going. If we stay together like this there will be a few hard decisions because they can't start all together. Then we have to see how this works. Be angry at me no problem but stay confident. That is important. Three days later there is another game so be there again. There will be a lot of challenges," he told reporters.
"The plan is that they all make the next step," he said. "Hopefully it's like this. Phil [Coutinho] has been outstanding so far and a few others. It is about how do we react when it doesn't work in our direction? That's when it is more difficult. If you lose a game, then lose another game then it is: 'Are we still strong?' or it's: 'No, we are shaky'.
"I said we always want to develop this team and there are two things to do: signings and training. We did both. The signings are nice – either they play or they push another player. But now it's more difficult to play all the time."
Liverpool face Athletic Bilbao in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday before taking on Watford in their opening Premier League game next weekend.
Barney Corkhill
