Owners Fenway Sports Group funded the project, which began in December 2014, with a £115million loan after deciding against building a new stadium on Stanley Park.
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And the club have confirmed that the ground now boasts a capacity of more than 54,000 – an increase of more than 8,000 on last season – while the famous Shankly Gates have also got a new location.
Champions Leicester City are the visitors as Jürgen Klopp’s team play in front of the redeveloped main stand for the first time since work was completed over the summer.
“That is our target and a home game – especially the first in a “new Anfield” – is what we have to use and to create an atmosphere”.
“Jurgen Klopp knows the importance of that”.
“For me, I couldn’t think about how they would work it with the angles and fitting in all the seats”.
Klopp made a number of changes in the summer, bringing in seven new signings to strengthen the squad and Werner believes the German – who was handed a new six-year contract in the summer after just nine months in charge – will deliver.
His opponents record so far is less than reassuring, but Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri thinks that they are still strong title contenders this season. Obviously there’s a lot of competition in the league but I’m excited about it.
“It’s all about winning on the pitch and hopefully this (stand) will contribute to that”.
In my view, Jurgen Klopp should be encouraging all new signings to visit the stadium, and immerse themselves in the club’s history.
Liverpool 2-1 Leicester: The Foxes will once again be hard to play against as they’ll sit back and look to hit the hosts on the break.
‘If anyone comes in here and thinks that this stadium doesn’t give us a chance to fight, then they’re dead – no emotions or whatever.
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“Now we have to full it with life, inspire the people, they have to feel comfortable here and really good in this stadium”. “You were here against Chelsea [the 1-1 draw in May] and it just seems not possible that it could be like this now”.
