- Assistant manager says pre-season joke targeted negativity
- Lijnders adds fresh leadership and signings have been key
Pepijn Lijnders has attributed Liverpool’s stirring recovery this season to their summer recruitment, fresh leadership and the threat of a punch in the face.
Liverpool’s assistant manager made the threat as a pre-season joke to the squad as he and Jürgen Klopp sought to draw a line under the disappointment of the 2022-23 campaign. Lijnders believes the determination to move on, along with the quality of Liverpool’s midfield rebuild and players such as Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold assuming greater responsibility, has re-energised Klopp and the team.
Written by Andy Hunter
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/09/we-drew-a-line-how-lijnders-punchline-helped-spark-liverpool-revival under the title “‘We drew a line’: how Lijnders’ punchline helped spark Liverpool revival”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
