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<p>Liverpool’s balancing act is more challenging than most clubs.</p>
<p>Injuries, runs of form and matchups are things that each manager deals with. Jurgen Klopp is no different. Only his Liverpool side are well in the running for a quadruple. The true test comes from how Jurgen Klopp balances his side with three trophies to play for over the the Reds’ final four games.</p>
<p>On one hand, it is all systems go for Liverpool. Klopp will not rest players with major trophies at stake. The <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/fa-cup-tv-schedule/">FA Cup Final</a> and the UEFA Champions League Final are one-off games against familiar opponents separated by two weeks. The intensity and potential is enough to make any player&nbsp;<em>want&nbsp;</em>to play in those games. Jurgen Klopp is at a point where he must play his best players each game.</p>
<p>That being said, he did not start Mohamed Salah, Jordan Henderson or Thiago against Aston Villa. Tied at half time, the German made changes to <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/05/10/liverpool-rally-to-keep-premier-league-title-hopes-alive/">ensure all three invaluable points</a> at this stage in the Premier League.</p>
<p>The Premier League is the quintessential component of the potential quadruple. Even if the Premier League falls short, which is looking likely with two EPL games remaining, Liverpool still has the chance at a treble of cup competitions.</p>
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<p>Jurgen Klopp does not feel sorry for the wear and tear on his players at this stage of the season. After all, it is Liverpool’s success that put the strain on the side so late in the season.</p>
<h5>Self-inflicted, but welcome, damage</h5>
<p>The Premier League started way back in the middle of August. Thirty-six games later, Liverpool is in contention for the Premier League.</p>
<p>The first FA Cup game for Liverpool started at the turn of the year against Shrewsbury Town. That competition consisted of five games thus far with the sixth game coming on Saturday against Chelsea. The EFL Cup, which Liverpool won for the ninth time in its history, played out over six games, with five coming against Premier League opposition.</p>
<p>Finally, the <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">UEFA Champions League Final</a> on May 28 against Real Madrid is the 13th game in that competition.</p>
<p>In total, Liverpool played 59 games to get to their current standing. Minus the potential for FA Cup replays, it is the highest number of games possible for Liverpool at the beginning of the season.</p>
<p>Being in contention is something to be celebrated, and it is a welcome problem for Jurgen Klopp. Ahead of Liverpool’s second-leg tie against Benfica in the Champions League, Liverpool was in a stretch of two games against Manchester City, a game against Manchester United and the first leg against Benfica.</p>
<p>Klopp commented on how while <a href="https:\/\/www.theguardian.com/football/2022/apr/12/jurgen-klopp-hits-out-at-liverpools-crowded-fixture-schedule">the fixture schedule is tight</a>, this is the position he wants his Reds to be in.</p>
<blockquote><p>“You need to put in your mind that you have enough energy to deal with every challenge. We want to be in every match.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Well, Liverpool is in every match and every competition until the end. Now, it just comes down to divvying up the squad and making sure each game produces the best out of the team.</p>
<h3>Liverpool’s balancing act</h3>
<p>The one major consideration when jamming a load of significant fixtures into a short span of time is injuries. In an ideal world, where injuries are non-existent and managers have free roam, picking a lineup is far easier.</p>
<p>However, Jurgen Klopp must make conscious decisions to play one lineup in one game and make changes for the next. Consequently, injuries play a role in those decisions.</p>
<p>Fabinho, the defensive midfielder who played a key role for Liverpool throughout the season, picked up an injury early on against Aston Villa on Tuesday, May 10. Jordan Henderson is a strong replacement, but one that forced Jurgen Klopp’s hand at an untimely moment.</p>
<p>For a silver lining, Liverpool went on to win the game. Moreover, Fabinho’s injury ended up not being anything serious. In fact, he should be set to play in the FA Cup Final come Saturday, May 14.</p>
<p>Fabinho’s scare does represent an overarching threat for Liverpool. Say Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson, or one of those two elite full backs picks up an injury. At this stage of the season, Liverpool’s balancing act would unravel with one of those stalwarts missing even one game.</p>
<p>Liverpool has played without its stars before, but not in a series of pressure-packed games like the next two weeks forebodes.</p>
<h5>Remaining schedule</h5>
<p>Jurgen Klopp will not give up on the Premier League until he is mathematically eliminated from contention. Therefore, he will play his best possible XI in each Premier League game.</p>
<p>Plus, he will not shy away from the possibility of Liverpool’s first FA Cup win since 2006. It will not be an easy task, with Chelsea looking to avoid a third-consecutive FA Cup Final loss.</p>
<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="INSIDE WEMBLEY: Man City 2-3 Liverpool | JÜRGEN&apos;S REDS REACH THE FINAL!" width="500" height="281" src="https:\/\/www.youtube.com/embed/aWsgVpGBF4w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<p>Of the remaining competitions, based on chances and prestige, Liverpool’s most important event is the Champions League Final against Real Madrid. Liverpool’s record of success in the Champions League stands out amongst its English rivals. Plus, it guarantees a spot at what could be the FIFA Club World Cup, although we still do not know when or if that is happening with the <a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/29/when-is-the-next-world-cup/">FIFA World Cup in an odd time for this cycle</a>.</p>
<p>Liverpool’s remaining four games could spell out a quadruple. Or, this masterful team, one of the best in the illustrious history of Liverpool FC, could walk away from the season with nothing more than the League Cup.</p>


This season could lead to a quadruple, or it could yield no more than a League Cup. Such is the challenge for Liverpool's balancing act.

Liverpool's balancing act ahead of FA Cup Final & Champions League - World Soccer Talk

Liverpool's balancing act ahead of FA Cup Final & Champions League

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<p>The USMNT squad depth is a hot talking point, only put further under the microscope recently.</p>
<p>With the United States on the verge of qualifying got the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, major names are missing from the team sheet. Brenden Aaronson, Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest and Matt Turner, who all played major roles throughout World Cup Qualifying thus far, are out during this window.</p>
<p>With games against the three sides directly beneath them in the final qualifying window, the U.S. is by no means a lock to qualify considering the loss of four potential starters. However, U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter prepared for situations like this.</p>
<p>It would be ludicrous to prepare the same XI players for each game. After all, overuse often leads to injury. However, the range of players deployed by Berhalter over the last year allows players to feel more confident going into three major games.</p>
<p>Not only are these challenging opponents, but they are road games in places where the U.S. lacks success. The USMNT has no wins in Mexico or Costa Rica when it comes to CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, putting extra emphasis on getting a result out of those games.</p>
<p>Now, the USMNT squad depth, something much-criticizes about Gregg Berhalter’s team selection, has the chance to prove itself. Three games with a spot in Qatar on the line against the side’s three biggest challengers. Fortunately, the players that Berhalter and the U.S. called to camp have experience playing against Mexico.</p>
<h3>USMNT squad depth</h3>
<p>The last calendar year featured three games and three wins against the U.S.’s biggest rival. Over that time, Gregg Berhalter used an impressive 38 different players.</p>
<p>Now, breaking down the USMNT’s available players against Mexico on Thursday night, 20 of the 27 players called up played against Mexico last year in those three wins.</p>
<p>Squad depth is not the be-all end-all of World Cup qualification. Star power and consistency among squads helps bring players together in a way that produces.</p>
<p>However, despite the best efforts of medical and training staff, injuries occur. Such is the consequence of the growth of Americans in European soccer. Sergiño Dest picked up an injury just before El Clásico. Similarly, Brenden Aaronson got hurt in pregame warmups before Sunday’s RB Salzburg game. It’s the nature of the game.</p>
<p>Regardless, the schedule and qualifying move on. A number of the main faces for the USMNT will be featuring for the squad over the next week. Namely, Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Tim Weah and Miles Robinson dot the XI. However, the players around them should feel strong enough to compete despite the mounting pressure.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2022/03/23/mexico-usa-preview-usmnt-on-verge-of-world-cup-2022-berth/"><em><strong>READ MORE:</strong></em></a> <em>USA on verge of World Cup 2022 qualification</em></p>
<h5>Options across the field</h5>
<p>The 2021 wins against Mexico are in the past, yes. Still, those games provide an insight into what may appear in Mexico City, Orlando and San José.</p>
<p><a href="https:\/\/fbref.com/en/players/3f65d5ce/nat_tm/Ethan-Horvath-National-Team-Stats">Ethan Horvath</a> could start in goal for the first time in a World Cup qualifier. While Zack Steffen has more experience in World Cup qualifying games, Horvath replaced Steffen after an injury in the 2021 Nations League Final. Horvath saved what could have been a game-tying penalty in extra time.</p>
<p>Elsewhere on the field, Yunas Musah, who featured sparingly up until now, could be the key replacement for Weston McKennie. Musah started alongside the Juventus midfielder when the U.S. defeated Mexico in Cincinnati, 2-0. Similarly, Brenden Aaronson’s unforeseen absence could provide someone like Jesús Ferreira the chance to break through. Ferreira made a substitute appearance in that previous World Cup qualifier against the Mexicans.</p>
<p>The fact remains that despite some USMNT fans holding a gripe with Gregg Berhalter’s decisions to not play what could be his ‘best starting XI’, that tactic could pay dividends over the next three games.</p>
<p>Experience, especially when it comes to CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, can prove essential. This applies even more when playing at the Estadio Azteca in a major fixture. Most of the players called up by Berhalter may not be able to say they played at the Estadio Azteca. Yet, they still likely hold some confidence due to previous results.</p>
<h5>Confidence on foreign soil</h5>
<p>The Estadio Azteca is one of the more challenging grounds to play in across the world. Take away the fact that it is 7,200 feet above sea level, and it is still a daunting stadium. The 87,000-seat stadium hosted a pair of World Cup Finals, where Maradona and Pele each won a World Cup. It is drenched in history, a history that the United States has not won a competitive game in.</p>
<p>Even though the majority of the USMNT players featuring in this window have yet to see the bright lights of the Azteca, confidence still abounds. That is key for Gregg Berhalter entering this game. The stadium will not be full capacity, but Mexico and the U.S. issued <a href="https:\/\/bolavip.com/en/soccer/mexico-vs-usmnt-how-many-people-will-be-able-to-attend-the-estadio-azteca-20220322-0028.html">50,000 tickets</a> for this game. This is a similar number to the CONCACAF Nations League Final and Gold Cup Final in Denver and Las Vegas, respectively. Although, the atmosphere will likely be more fiery.</p>
<p>Having so many options that have winning experience against a Mexico side that has been&nbsp;<em>comparatively&nbsp;</em>consistent in terms of team selection bodes well for the U.S.</p>
<p>Of course, the mantra for this team is taking things one game at a time. However, the stress is likely mounting with the deep memory of the failure of 2017 in the back of some players’ minds.</p>
<p>However, as seen with the celebrations after each of the three wins against Mexico in 2021, this is a new squad. That USMNT squad depth could prove crucial to make it four wins in four games against Mexico. Additionally, it could bump the U.S. ever close to Qatar.</p>
<p><em>IMAGE: John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images</em></p>


The USMNT squad depth might not be the most flashy part of this team, but it could be the most important for World Cup qualification.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "depth"

FA Cup

Liverpool's balancing act ahead of FA Cup Final & Champions League

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers

USMNT squad depth takes center stage in last qualifying window