Medical expert demands change as Liverpool stars at serious risk
Liverpool stars will pay a heavy physical and mental price unless the jam-packed fixture schedule is addressed.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Liverpool played 63 games in all competitions in 2021-22.
The likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah turned out 70 times with international matches included.
As relayed by The Guardian last Thursday (26 May), a Fifpro survey revealed that 55 per cent of their 1055-player sample size had suffered a fatigue-related injury.
The data also found that only 32 per cent had the recommended four-week break between seasons. and that the crowded schedule has had an adverse effect on mental health.
Dinnery explained why the lack of respite is a serious issue for Liverpool players.
"The demands on players these days are greater and greater," he told Football Insider's Adam Williams.
"It's been a really heavy, difficult season. There were disruptions to pre-season last time, and there is a quick turnaround for the internationals this time.
"We're already in June and players are going to be starting their pre-season programme almost straight away. Physically and mentally, you need a chance to refresh.
"Ultimately, it's going to affect performance. You're not going to be at your best. From a supporter's point of view, you're paying a lot of money., but these players often can't deliver consistently because of the demands put on them.
"At the elite level, I would say that money is inconsequential. But as we drop further down, there are players on lesser salaries who are more reliant on those extra games.
"It's a fine balance to strike. But we need to start looking after our players better.
"It doesn't matter how far we go with sports science, injuries are a constant. But we can mitigate soft tissue and muscular issues by managing player load and being sensible with the fixture schedule."