Liverpool defeated Arsenal 2-1 with the support of an ancient, sold-out audience in Philadelphia, earning their second victory in two friendly behind new manager Arne Slot.
Due to Arsenal’s intense pressure, the Reds first found it difficult to implement Slot’s more methodical approach. As a result, they frequently gave the ball away in the defending third and were lucky to stay ahead.
However, the wide men were the ones who opened the scoring in the first half, as Mohamed Salah as well as Fabio Carvalho scored two goals in 33 minutes after Harvey Elliott’s two excellent passes. Though they dominated playing in the second half, the Gunners were powerless to equalize after Kai Havertz chopped the deficit in half with a clumsy finishing in front of goal.
These are the five victors and vanquished parties from the friendly match on Wednesday.
Table of Contents
Victors
Harvey Elliott makes a fantastic midfield comeback.
When he returned to midfield on Wednesday, Liverpool’s intriguing young player sent Reds supporters into yet another frenzy by breaking the Arsenal defense with two outstanding passes. His initial intervention helped Liverpool launch an immediate counterattack, with Diogo Jota‘s outstanding hold-up play setting up a wonderfully weighted ball for Salah to meet. Salah kept up his fast pace along the diagonal, outpacing the Gunners’ defense as he finished with a left-footed strike.
Twenty minutes later, Elliott took the ball above the penalty area once more and found Fabio Carvalho with a wonderful, chipped pass. With plenty of room in front of the goal, the left-winger volleyed his shot into the lower corner before embracing Elliott.
The 21-year-old, who forms an unconventional center-forward pair with Dominik Szoboszlai, was largely inconspicuous during Liverpool’s opening match. Elliott has publicly discussed how tough it was to adjust to Slot’s supervision, and his performance on Wednesday demonstrated his flexibility and confidence in the Dutch coach.
As Elliott told Liverpool.com, “It’s very hard.” “It’s a totally different approach to play and a totally different way to approach tactics, but that’s just how football works. You must acquire it and learn to adapt.”
Is Dominik Szoboszlai the defensive midfield savior for Liverpool?
Dropping a notch above his previous attack partner, Szoboszlai became Liverpool’s second defending midfielder, partnering with Curtis Jones. The Reds’ second exhibition demonstrated the significance of these two pivots in Slot’s system. Since moving to Anfield last summer, Szoboszlai has mostly played as a No. 8, but on Wednesday night, he excelled in an unfamiliar deeper-lying role and might be able to fill a noticeable void in the Liverpool lineup.
Throughout the game, the Hungarian demonstrated his defensive prowess and steadiness in the air by slicing through an Arsenal attack from the left flank. Sublime technical prowess by Szoboszlai, who overcame a heavy initial touch to manoeuvre past Martin Odegaard before finding Harvey Elliott at the very top of the box, set up Liverpool’s incredible second goal late in the half.
The manager of the Hungarian national team, Marco Rossi, had earlier said that Szoboszlai’s best position might be defensive midfield, and that more outstanding performances in the double axis could allay Liverpool supporters’ concerns regarding the club’s lack of action in the transfer market.
A Philadelphia throng watching the Premier League
Nearly every spot in the city of Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field was occupied by 69,879 spectators for the biggest football attendance to ever attend an Eagles game, marking a truly memorable occasion between two of the biggest teams in the Premier League. The first half opened with Liverpool’s famous “You’ll Ever Walk Alone” song playing, and many of the teams’ most well-known shouts might have been heard 3,500 miles from home.
Rich English traditions were combined with plenty of flamboyant American flair, as additional fireworks were fired from the rooftop following each goal, casting a cloud of smoke above the opening kickoff. There was also a brief minute of quiet on Wednesday in remembrance of the three youngsters that were slain in the Southport mass stabbing assault.
Losers
For Caoimhin Kelleher, a catastrophe
Few players have appeared more nervous than Kelleher, despite the fact that other Liverpool players have expressed their growing pains with Slot’s administration and more methodical construction. The teenage goalie’s early attempt to pass was picked up by an Arsenal player and went inconspicuously out for a goal kick, almost solidifying his status as the game’s biggest, unquestionable loser.
Despite going through a lot of ugly periods when in possession and distributing the ball, Kelleher made two vital contributions that sealed Liverpool’s victory. Just two passes were made in Liverpool’s explosive opening movement, including a well-placed 50-yard throw to Jota. The Reds managed to hold onto their narrow 2-1 lead thanks to a critical second half save.
Oleksandr Zinchenko faces more defensive difficulties
Salah was able to propel Liverpool’s offensive forward multiple times down the right wing as Zinchenko failed to dispel Arsenal supporters’ worries about the Ukrainian’s defensive shortcomings. When Liverpool scored quickly in the first half, he was especially vulnerable since he could not follow the Egyptian’s move from midfield, which was eventually outpaced by many Arsenal players.
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