The FA Community Shield was set for Sunday, August 4th, 2019, and Zachary, along with the rest of the Liverpool squad, still had three full days to prepare. It wasn't downtime but a window. A chance to refine, tighten, and prepare not only for City, but for what lay ahead.
Because the road beyond Wembley was no less daunting.
On August 9th, they'd open their Premier League campaign at home against Norwich City. Five days later, they'd fly to Istanbul to face Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup. Then, it was back to league business, soon having to face Southampton, Arsenal, and Burnley, all within the month.
Klopp didn't let them forget it.
As such, the training that followed was sharp, calculated, and high in intensity. Sessions were split between tactical setups for City's fluid front line and transitional drills geared toward their league openers. The atmosphere was crisp. No wasted energy. No passive movement. Everyone was locked in.
