Liverpool marked the beginning of the Arne Slot era with a convincing win over Spanish outfit Real Betis in Pittsburgh.
Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal of the game as Liverpool fielded 23 players in what was a good workout for Slot’s troops, playing in front of fans for the first time after losing to Preston behind closed doors last week.
Here, Mail Sport takes you through five things we learned…
Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal of the game as Liverpool beat Real Betis in Pittsburgh
Bizarre formation
Considering this is a ‘things we learned’ piece, it took observers a solid 15 minutes or so to learn the formation Liverpool were playing here. Slot was quick to shut down suggestions his system was different from Jurgen Klopp’s – but that was certainly the case here.
Liverpool’s formation resembled a 4-2-4 shape for most of this match, with Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott both playing as No 9s, whether you want to describe them as ‘false’ or not. The Hungary skipper got on the score-sheet.
It was far from perfect but the early signs with this formation, an experiment or not, were promising. Liverpool played through the lines with punchy, vertical passes and it meant their pressing structure was harder to break through.
Two midfielders would sit in a deeper-lying area to screen the defence but also kickstart attacks by getting on the ball. Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho kept the width and allowed the two No 9s to exploit spaces as the Real Betis back line were unsure who to mark.
When the wingers did come inside, the full backs – Kostas Tsimikas and Conor Bradley from the start – provided bundles of energy on the overlap. Northern Irishman Bradley, in particular, was a shining light for the Reds in the first half.
Arne Slot's Liverpool formation resembled an attacking 4-2-4 shape for most of this match
Jones’ kiss of death
Curtis Jones spoke candidly on Wednesday and was brimming with confidence ahead of a new era at Liverpool. The midfielder said he saw the arrival of Slot as a clean slate and he was ready to kick on in his career after a solid pre-season.
But his comments appeared to be a kiss of death, as Jones only lasted 30 minutes with what appeared to be a hamstring injury. It was a nasty sight to see him leave the pitch in pain, though it did not look too serious.
Liverpool are hoping he has avoided any serious blows but, given Jones was talking just 24 hours before about how he was keen to grab the starting shirt from the beginning of the new season, it was a worrying end to his first public outing this summer.
Curtis Jones only lasted 30 minutes with what appeared to be a hamstring injury
Nyoni puts in stellar display
Jones’ exit, though, opened the door to young Trey Nyoni, who only turned 17 last month. The former Leicester kid, who was signed this time last year by Liverpool, made his debut off the bench in the FA Cup last season and got another taste of first-team action here.
Nyoni was positive in possession, playing a pivotal role in the opening goal as he threaded a nice pass through the lines into Szoboszlai, who then combined with Salah to score. Aside from that, he was a vibrant source of energy in the middle of the park.
By the time he left the pitch midway through the second half, Nyoni had marked himself out as a shoo-in for the man of the match award. Every time the ball came to him, the teenager seemed to make something positive happen.
Since being poached from the Foxes 12 months ago, Liverpool’s coaching staff have been delighted by Nyoni – and he was rewarded with plenty of first-team experience in the second half of last season.
Slot said several youngsters had surprised him in training in his first month and Nyoni is undoubtedly one of them. A diminutive figure in midfield who looks his age, but a player with a giant potential if he is coached with care and patience.
Trey Nyoni replaced Jones in midfield and grabbed his opportunity with an impressive display
Let’s talk about six
It's hardly a groundbreaking development that Liverpool need a No 6, as their problems in defensive midfield have been well documented for well over a year. But can the Reds win the Premier League without upgrading in that department?
This was a disappointing outing for Wataru Endo, who was caught in possession on a worrying amount of occasions. If it were not for poor finishing from Real Betis, Liverpool would have fallen behind in this match.
Endo, the Japan captain, was signed for £16.2million last August after Jurgen Klopp needed a mass rebuild of his midfield. He was a reliable figure last season but it feels like he is not quite at the elite standard the Reds’ Premier League rivals have at their disposal.
He was replaced in the second half by Tyler Morton, who spent last season on loan at Championship Hull City. Morton, who also had trials at Everton as a kid, told Mail Sport in an interview last year how he styled his game on Xabi Alonso.
‘I used to go to the park and practice my pinging with my dad, I loved Xabi Alonso so I tried to copy him,’ he said back in January. ‘Stevie Gerrard was my idol but I loved watching Xabi play, he was just in a different class.’
Morton put in a solid display in the second half here – not quite Alonso yet but he did play some nice passes. It was also pleasing to see Stefan Bajcetic get some minutes after a horrible time with injuries over the last 18 months.
Wataru Endo struggled in midfield, highlighting the need for Liverpool to sign a No. 6
Backroom staff slot in nicely
With this the first public outing for Slot’s Liverpool since he took the job, it was interesting to take a ringside seat to watch the warm-up routines and also the new coaching team’s actions on the sidelines.
At the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Slot was as animated as an NFL coach with flailing arms and constantly barking orders and advice to his players. The Dutchman regularly called over individuals for chats.
Before the match, Slot’s newly-hired assistant Johnny Heitinga was very hands-on in leading the warm-up drills. Fellow new man Sipke Hulshoff was also constantly in dialogue with players and rarely sat down during the match.
Slot’s newly-hired assistants Johnny Heitinga and Sipke Hulshoff (left) were both animated
New performance head Ruben Peeters is said to be very meticulous when it comes to managing players’ workloads and Liverpool used 23 players in total, with young defender Amara Nallo the only man in the matchday squad not to get any minutes.
James McConnell missed out with a minor knock but is expected to be back soon, while Andy Robertson will not feature in the tour despite being here due to a minor ankle ligament injury. The Scotsman did individual work at Liverpool’s Pittsburgh base on Friday.
Diogo Jota underwent fitness tests yesterday after flying out to Pittsburgh on Thursday. The Portugal international is unlikely to play in Philadelphia but will do so in South Carolina all being well.