Neil Critchley to return to Anfield as Blackpool arrange glamour friendly with Premier League champions Liverpool

Blackpool will finish their pre-season preparations with a glamour friendly against Premier League champions Liverpool.

Head coach Neil Critchley returns to his former club to take on Jurgen Klopp’s outfit in what will be Blackpool’s sixth and final friendly of the summer.

The encounter, which will be played at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, will be Pool’s last game before they take on Barrow in an EFL Trophy group game at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday, September 8.

The Seasiders then get their 2020/21 league campaign underway the following Saturday with a long trip to face Plymouth Argyle.

Critchley’s side have already won three of their five pre-season friendlies, also drawing with Liverpool’s rivals Everton and losing to Blackburn Rovers.

It will be the first time Blackpool return to Anfield since their famous triumph in 2010, when Charlie Adam and Luke Varney scored in a memorable 2-1 Premier League victory.

While Liverpool will have 12 players away on international duty, a host of stars will still be available to play.

Klopp will be without the European members of his squad that have been called up for UEFA Nations League games.

However, the likes of Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah will all be free to feature.

Japanese forward Takumi Minamino is still around, as are Xherdan Shaqiri and Jordan Henderson who missed out on call-ups due to injuries.

Joel Matip and James Milner will also be available due to being retired from international duty.

Adrian is not part of the international scene, while neither Harvey Elliott nor Curtis Jones have been selected by England’s youth teams.