S Poddar
Liverpool stretched their good preseason form with a commanding 4-1 win over Sevilla at Anfield on a sun-soaked Sunday. Under the tutelage of their new boss, Arne Slot, the Reds have been working towards a return to the Premier League with the latest display of both individual brilliance and collective strength.
It was the Colombian winger Luis Diaz who stood out, scoring twice in a display that suggested a rise in confidence and potential to replace Sadio Mane effectively. The latter had departed for Bayern Munich as an important member of Liverpool, scoring 120 goals in 269 games. Díaz is talented, but he hasn’t up to now shown anything like the kind of consistency that Mane did. Yet there was a glimpse of his show of form probably more evident in his performance against Sevilla, offering a peek into what might be a breakthrough this season.
Diaz’s first goal was quite a stunner, powerfully hit into the top corner of the goal after cutting in from the left, with the Sevilla goalkeeper having no chance at all. The second was a simple tap-in but threw into further light his awareness and positioning, which have too often been absent from his game since his transfer in January 2022, and that Liverpool fans have been craving from him for so long. Two goals in his first 62 minutes of pre-season action: Diaz is finally indicating the kind of consistency Liverpool needs on that left flank.
Slot, however, has been working extensively on Diaz’s movement off the ball with the coaching staff, and that’s prominently visible in recent fixtures. If this form continues, Diaz might be finally the man many fans agree on having longed for ever since the departure of Sadio Mane.
Another to impress in the match was 17-year-old Trey Nyoni, one of the hottest talents of the summer. A composed finish for Liverpool’s fourth goal capped off quite an eye-catching pre-season for the youngster. His emergence gives Slot a lot more options in attack, and it will make his work a little bit easier as he gets set for the coming season.
Slot agreed a two-game schedule after basement flat neighbours Liverpool joined their training camp in Tenerife on Sunday. The Sevilla match was the first of a two-gamer for the same day with the friendly being played behind closed doors against Las Palmas later in the evening. It was all part of the new boss’ plan to build fitness and work into his tactical methods for the new Premier League campaign, which is about to start again.
And even if the limelight shone on Liverpool’s attacking artillery, much was expected from the rearguard. Defender Jarell Quansah, 21 years old, continued to impress through his pre-season show and turned him into a starter to partner Virgil Van Dijk at the center of the Liverpool defense. Quansah made 33 appearances last season and was picked up in the England senior squad and has risen through the ranks pretty fast to stake a claim in the starting lineup.
And with Ibrahima Konate due to play in the second of today’s friendlies, Quansah’s assured performance versus Sevilla serves him well and must have made him a candidate for a starting role against Ipswich in the Premier League curtain raiser come the end of this week. He was a touch unsure at times, but his overall display was a very pleasing one, and so he should be set for significant involvement in the coming months.
Another who will be expected to step up under Slot is Ryan Gravenberch. The Dutch midfielder was relatively quiet for his first season at Anfield, although he has shown some idea in a deeper role so far this pre-season. There’s huge competition for places in that department, performances have been stamped with composure and intelligence, and he could emerge as an important part of Slot’s midfield setup.
Mohamed Salah remains a key figure for Liverpool, as always. Even though he turned 32 this summer, the Egyptian forward looked as sharp as ever against Sevilla, making dangerous runs and causing the opposition defense constant problems. Some fine performances followed towards the end of last season, although his form had dipped a bit since injury ruled him out of the Africa Cup of Nations. Still, he used the off-season to bring himself back to full fitness, which has shown in his dedication and performance during the pre-season.
Though Salah didn’t score against Sevilla, he came out rather unlucky not to find the net, with several efforts nudging a little wide. He has shown his commitment to return to his best after rejecting the opportunity to feature for Egypt in the Olympics, just to focus on preparations for the new season.
Coming into the Premier League season, Liverpool should be very confident with some good performances in pre-season. Diaz and Quansah have really stepped up, along with Salah remaining at the top of his game. The Reds look fairly well-placed for yet another shot at the honours. The biggest challenge will be against Ipswich in the league opener, but the way the Liverpool outfit looked bright against Sevilla, there will be a lot of optimism in the minds.
