Anfield prepares to host double-header of Liverpool friendlies for second successive summer | OneFootball

On Monday 4 August, Liverpool will play at Anfield for the first time since they were presented with the Premier League trophy two months ago.

Fans could be in for a treat as the Reds return to their home ground with not one but two fixtures that evening, with Arne Slot’s side taking on Athletic Bilbao in a double header of friendlies at 5pm and 8pm. Supporters wishing to attend can check out livefootballtickets.com for the best deals.

It might seem like a novelty to play two matches in one day, especially within the space of five hours, but the Merseysiders actually did something similar last year.

Anfield also hosted two games in one day last year

Just before the start of an ultimately triumphant Premier League campaign, Liverpool played two friendlies on the same day at Anfield, beating Sevilla 4-1 in front of a packed stadium before drawing 0-0 against Las Palmas behind closed doors.

As expected, the starting line-ups for those two games were completely different, although Tyler Morton did achieve the unique distinction of playing in both matches as a substitute.

(Photo by Barrington Coombs/Getty Images)

The Reds will again play host to Spanish opposition in an Anfield double header in 13 days’ time, but on this occasion, supporters will be able to attend for both fixtures against an Athletic Bilbao side who reached the Europa League semi-finals last term.

The Basque club have become familar pre-season opponents for Liverpool in recent years, with the two sides having met in Dublin in 2017 (a 3-1 win for Jurgen Klopp’s team) and on Merseyside in 2021 (a 1-1 draw).

Liverpool youngsters will get their chance to shine at Anfield

The unusual format of playing two matches in one evening will enable (or require, in truth) Slot to utilise the full depth of his squad and assess as many players as possible, with a mixture of first-team stars and talented academy prospects set to be given a runout.

While we all know what the likes of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker can do, the double-header friendly should provide opportunities for youngsters like Rio Ngumoha, Trey Nyoni and Amara Nallo to stake their claim for further senior inclusion for the upcoming season.

The two games against Athletic Bilbao will also make for a poignant occasion, as it’ll be Liverpool’s first time playing at Anfield since the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car crash at the start of this month.

It’ll give Reds fans an opportunity to pay tribute to our beloved number 20 at the venue where he became a global star, an eternal Kop favourite and a Premier League champion.