Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been putting his players through their paces regularly during the summer as preparations for the new season continue to ramp up.
In Japan now, and facing Yokohama F. Marinos on Wednesday, the Reds' conducted an open training session on Tuesday. New signing Hugo Ekitike was involved, while Alexis Mac Allister has made a return this week after being sidelined through injury.
It remains to be seen who will feature (and for how long) in Wednesday's friendly, but the Reds will then fly back to the UK ahead of the final touches being put on their pre-season. This is what Liverpool.com spotted from the session.
Alisson Becker absent
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker was not involved in the training and has returned home to the UK for personal reasons. He won't be featuring against Yokohama F. Marinos on Wednesday.
New signing Giorgi Mamardashvili is likely to step into the starting XI in Alisson's place. Fellow summer arrival Freddie Woodman might also be among those to feature, as he did against Preston North End earlier in the month.
Darwin Nunez's extra practice
Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez was injured and missed the Reds' game with AC Milan over the weekend. But not only was he back in training here, but he also stayed for extra practice.
Nunez was spotted doing some shooting drills once the session had been brought to a close. Virgil van Dijk, according to the Daily Mail's Lewis Steele, was also there longer than required as he practiced some free kicks.
Alexis Mac Allister returns
Nunez wasn't the only player to return from injury this week. Alexis Mac Allister is also back, and he thinks he will be fully up to speed again by the time the new campaign kicks off.
"As I said, I need to work on my physical shape and get used again to the level of the boys," he told the Reds' official website.
"But I’m feeling really, really good, training with the team. I'm pretty sure I’m going to be fine for the beginning of the season and hopefully for the [Community Shield] as well."
Mac Allister missed the last two games of the 2024/25 season but has now recovered from the issue that saw him sidelined. Though he might not be ready for the Yokohama F. Marinos game, he doesn't sound too far away from a return to action.
Hugo Ekitike involved
New number nine Hugo Ekitike, who was confirmed last week as a $106 million (£79 million) signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, was involved in the session. He could be ready to feature at the Nissan Stadium on Wednesday.
Against AC Milan at the weekend, Florian Wirtz and Harvey Elliott played as a front two. With Ekitike now more integrated and Nunez back, though, we might get a clearer glimpse of what the attacking plan is for next season.
Wirtz starting behind Ekitike appears to be the most likely blueprint at the moment, though there remains interest in the Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. Whether that happens or not, Ekitike will have a role to play — and we might get the first glimpse on Wednesday.