There is no reason for West Ham United not to start the Premier League season well when they take on Liverpool on Sunday, according to Adrian.
The Irons travel to Anfield for a first match of the 2018/19 campaign this weekend, and the goalkeeper is targeting a positive result in their first competitive match under new manager Manuel Pellegrini.
The Spaniard is thrilled with how the squad has trained and performed during pre-season and wants to see the team play to this level on Sunday.
We are ready to start. We’ve done a good pre-season. We are working this week to be mentally and physically prepared for Liverpool.
Adrian
“We are excited to start the season on Sunday,” Adrian told whufc.com. “We are ready to start. We’ve done a good pre-season. We were training really well and really hard with the new manager and the new signings.
“We are making a good, competitive squad. We are working this week to be mentally and physically prepared for Liverpool.”
The 31-year-old recognises that there are few tougher places to go than Anfield - a stadium where West Ham have won just once in the Premier League and once in all competitions since 1963.
Liverpool reached the UEFA Champions League final and finished as Premier League runners-up last season. With Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Brazilian Roberto Firmino, Senegalese Sadio Mane and Swiss Xherdan Shaqiri leading a star-studded attack, the hosts will seek to extend their unbeaten home top-flight record dating back to April 2017.
However, Adrian believes West Ham will be prepared for the threat posed by Jurgen Klopp's high-tempo Reds, with a focus on being compact and working hard for one another top of the Claret and Blue blueprint for success.
“I think, to be fair, all Premier League games are difficult, but playing against Liverpool away in the first game is even more difficult," he observed." They finished last season very well and they made a number of really good signings as well.
“It’s the first game, and we want to start well as well. Obviously, it’s not just down to the defenders and the goalkeeper. We have to really concentrate on our defence. Everyone has to do their part, do well, and defend and attack as a team.”