Liverpool World Cup players: Full squad list for Qatar 2022 and midseason friendly schedule

By the high, high standards that have been set at Anfield since Jurgen Klopp walked through the doors in October 2015, Liverpool’s start to the season has been below par to say the least. The Reds have won just six of their 14 games so far, drawing and losing four apiece in their eight other fixtures. They did end the pre-World Cup schedule on a high note, beating Spurs and Southampton back-to-back in their final two fixtures to rise from mid-table to a more commendable sixth place. 

That slight surge of form in late November has done little to mask Liverpool’s deficiencies in 2022/23 though, and it will count for little in terms of momentum too, with Liverpool not playing another Premier League game until Boxing Day. Their season in fact resumes four days earlier though, with the small task of facing their biggest rivals for success in recent years, Manchester City, in the League Cup on December 22. Just four days after the World Cup final, the two sides who have won the past five Premier League titles do battle once more, and the Reds will be hoping to advance, moving a step closer to retaining the trophy they won last season.

While Liverpool aren’t where they’d want to be in the Premier League at this stage, they have progressed to the next stages of the UEFA Champions League. They may have finished second on goal difference to Serie A side Napoli, but finished their group stage campaign with a flourish, winning five straight games after losing 4-1 in Naples on matchday one. They’ve not been blessed in the draw for the round of 16 though, and are set to face defending champions Real Madrid. The two sides faced off in last season’s final at the Stade de France, though their rematch will come at a far sooner stage than the two sides anticipated.

Before they meet Los Blancos in February though, the Reds will be mired in a myriad of tightly-packed league fixtures, with up to seven squeezed in before the end of January. The World Cup break will see Liverpool playing more often than ever before as the back end of the season rolls around. With a month of rest and recuperation ahead, Jurgen Klopp must ensure that his underperforming side are prepared for what awaits, as they once more look to compete on four separate fronts.

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How many Liverpool players are at the World Cup?

The Reds will be missing just seven first team players over the World Cup break, with the majority of their squad remaining intact for a month’s worth of preparation at Melwood. This is a lower number than many of their rivals at the top end of the Premier League, with every side currently above them bar Newcastle (Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Brighton), as well as Chelsea, having more players appearing at the finals in Qatar.

Some of their key names will be away from North-West England over November and December, including captain Jordan Henderson, goalkeeper Alisson and talismanic defender Virgil van Dijk. However, top scorer Mohamed Salah has not travelled, with Egypt having not qualified for the World Cup. Brazil have qualified, and are favourites among many to win in Qatar, but they’ve left prolific Reds forward Roberto Firmino at home, which will be bittersweet for Jurgen Klopp as he prepares for the restart.

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Which Liverpool players are at the World Cup?

Good luck to our Reds competing in the World Cup 👊 pic.twitter.com/NKoT9I20u9

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 20, 2022

Which Liverpool players are NOT at the World Cup?

Are Liverpool playing any friendlies during the World Cup?

Although Liverpool only have seven players competing for football’s biggest prize in Qatar, the rest of the squad won’t be too far away, as they’ll spend a large portion of their month’s break in the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. While there, they will play two matches in Dubai, as their preparations for the season’s resumptions ramp up in early-to-mid December.

Jurgen Klopp could well have several of his Qatar absentees back in the fold by December 11, when they will face Lyon in Dubai the day before the World Cup semi-finals begin. Five days later, they will face AC Milan at the same venue, the Al Maktoum Stadium, with the December 16 clash coming just six days prior to their League Cup tie with Manchester City.