Liverpool showcased £270million-worth of new signings in the 3-2 friendly victory over Athletic Bilbao but the goals still went to established Premier League winners Mohamed Salah – who also missed a late penalty – and Cody Gakpo.
Florian Wirtz’s first look at Anfield gave fans a glimpse of why the club made him their – and with add-ons potentially a British – record signing with some clever touches and interplay and almost the opening goal.
Head coach Arne Slot believes the Germany international will replace the creativity they lost from the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid.
“I think there is always room for improvement in every department and we have added a few, in my opinion, extra weapons,” said the Dutchman.“Florian has a lot of creativity in the final third and we have lost with Trent a lot of creativity from the back.
“Trent’s crosses and picking out runners was so special – Flo has this quality in a totally different position. He brings that creativity.”
Wirtz’s fellow new signings also showed they were settling in well as Jeremie Frimpong linked up well with Salah, fellow full-back Milos Kerkez was solid and Hugo Ekitike showed flexibility across the forward line.Wirtz headed onto the crossbar before Ekitike crossed for Salah to fire home and Gakpo scored twice after the break after Oihan Sancet had levelled.
Liverpool went into the double-header with just one recognised centre-back with Virgil van Dijk ill and Joe Gomez injured and looked vulnerable at set-pieces, with Maroan Sannadi heading an equaliser from a corner.
“The other games pre-season we have conceded a few too many chances but today we hardly conceded anything at all and that pleased me as well,” added Slot.“So to concede two set-piece goals in the second game is not what you want, especially if you play Crystal Palace next week who are a team who are very strong on set-pieces. That’s another thing to work on.”
In both matches Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last month, was remembered with fans standing and clapping and singing the forward’s song. When the clock showed 20, action on the pitch also halted as players and officials joined in the applause.
Liverpool’s second string won 4-1 earlier, after an erroneous fire alarm had evacuated the Main Stand before kick-off, with 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha continuing his impressive pre-season form with a goal after just 87 seconds.
Ben Doak, three years his senior, also scored while there were goals for Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, two players whose futures appear to be away from Anfield.
Nunez, who has been linked with Al Hilal for a while with AC Milan also opening talks over the Uruguay international, thumped the badge on his shirt in front of the Kop while Elliott was the last to leave the pitch having blown kisses to all four sides of the ground.
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