Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admits they're underdone facing Manchester City in today's Community Shield.
The Reds were beaten 1-0 at Red Bull Salzburg in a friendly on Wednesday ahead of their showdown with Pep Guardiola's side at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Klopp said, "The situation is that it's a very important game, but the situation is that we still have to prepare a season, so we cannot ignore that. So we played last night against Salzburg, we lost 1-0, we trained the day before twice, so pretty intense, that's what we have to do. I cannot ignore the fact that after this important game is a season coming up. So we have to extend our pre-season, if you want, into the season.
"We play on Saturday against City and we play on Sunday a pre-season test game, whatever, against Strasbourg. Then we play Fulham and the next day we play another game, just that we can extend our pre-season, that's what we have to do. Because from mid-August on, I think we play every three days again, so there's no time for training anymore. So we try to do the right things but, of course, then the schedule is always a challenge to deal with and that's how it is – not the first time, it's always like this.
"The game on Saturday, will it show a lot about the season? I expect two good teams. I saw last night, even when we lost, especially in the second half, I saw us in a really good shape.
"I hope that we can bring that on the pitch on Saturday as well. But, of course, it will be a challenge just to play now 90 minutes. I'm not sure how the weather in England is but it can be hot as well, so that all comes then together. We will see. But if you win it, it's a very important competition. If you lose it, then it becomes lesser important."
