Liverpool and Arsenal performed out an entertaining pre-season pleasant in a single day in the USA, with the Reds prevailing 2-1 at Lincoln Monetary Subject.
Early objectives from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho put Arne Slot’s facet two up within the first half, whereas Kai Havertz pulled one again for the Gunners simply earlier than the break.
Mikel Arteta’s males had been unable to search out an equaliser and fell to defeat in Philadelphia, however each outfits had been capable of get good minutes within the legs of some key gamers forward of the brand new marketing campaign.
Listed below are 4 takeaways from Wednesday evening’s encounter.
Arsenal established themselves as by far the Premier League’s greatest defensive crew throughout the second half of the 2023/24 season.
Arteta has constructed a monstrous backline that you just would not need to get on the flawed facet of, boasting a number of six-foot-plus defenders and midfielders to do his crew’s soiled work.
However two key members of that cohort – William Saliba and Declan Rice – are nonetheless on vacation, and boy did that look noticeable in opposition to Liverpool. It will need to have been a shock for Gunners followers to see their crew frantically backtracking to defend open areas reasonably than calmly plug these gaps.
And yeah, it is such a large shock that Arsenal do not look pretty much as good with out two of their greatest gamers, nevertheless it did present their fragility once you take away these figures from the image. The signing of Riccardo Calafiori ought to give them larger flexibility and depth, at the very least.
For a few years now, Harvey Elliott has checked out house when beginning for Liverpool.
The following step is to nail down a spot within the beginning XI, and he is wasted no time making an attempt to impress Slot this summer time.
After taking part in as a withdrawn ahead of their opening tour win in opposition to Actual Betis, Elliott returned to a complicated midfield position right here, arising with assists for each of Liverpool’s objectives – together with a tasty scoop for Fabio Carvalho’s second.
At 21, Elliott falls into the class of a vivid prospect with loads of top-level expertise below his belt, and a famous player-improver like Slot have to be relishing the prospect to mould him into a real Premier League star.
It is a pretty well-known and open secret that Liverpool are scouring the switch marketplace for new centre-back choices.
However the Reds hierarchy ought to be sure that whoever they do goal shouldn’t be really any higher than a number of the youthful and promising choices already on their books.
Jarell Quansah is relishing this early alternative to stake his declare to Slot, whereas Sepp van den Berg is perhaps price maintaining reasonably than promoting if he can fill in so seamlessly.
If Liverpool can discover a high central defender to return in and be nice immediately, then for certain they need to think about such a transfer. There’s just a bit extra meals for thought regarding the subsequent technology.
Talking of the subsequent technology, each Liverpool and Arsenal are well-stocked for years to return.
Slot has granted followers’ needs to see extra of Trey Nyoni throughout their tour, and Arteta has given prolonged alternatives to Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly of late.
Pre-season friendlies whereas senior gamers are nonetheless on luxurious annual go away will at all times enable the children to get a glance in, given. That does not imply these aren’t gifted gamers deserving of those minutes, nevertheless.
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