View: Three things learned from Liverpool v Real Betis as Arne Slot rewarded for faith in youth
Arne Slot began the Liverpool pre-season tour of the USA in winning fashion with a 1-0 victory against Real Betis on Saturday (27 July).
Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal after half an hour of play, finishing a well-worked move with Mohammed Salah.
Curtis Jones came off with a knock early into the first half, the injury is not considered serious (Liverpool ECHO, 27 July) and he should be available to feature in the match against Arsenal (1 August).
The match was the first time Liverpool fans saw their new manager in action and there were positive signs to take away from the encounter and one harsh truth.
Trey Nyoni could become an important player this season
Trey Nyoni made his first appearance under Slot coming on in place of Curtis Jones who was forced off through injury.
Jurgen Klopp handed him his first-team debut last season in a cameo appearance against Southampton in the FA Cup in February.
The 17-year-old fit seamlessly into Slot’s system and made an instant impact, starting the move that resulted in Szboszlai’s goal with a line-breaking pass through the middle of the pitch.
Nyoni completed 91 per cent of his 46 pass attempts and completed 100 per cent of his long ball attempts (Sofascore).
He completed 100 per cent of his dribbles, won 50 per cent of his ground duels, and recorded one interception throughout his cameo.
The England U18 international could have had an assist, he played Harvey Blair through on goal but the young striker failed to take the ball around Francisco Vietes.
Slot will need to decide on the future of his youth stars and Nyoni could develop into a capable squad option for the Reds if he can consistently replicate his performance against Real Betis next season.
Liverpool need to sign a defensive midfielder this summer
Wataru Endo defied expectations in a Liverpool shirt following his move from Stuttgart last summer.
The Japan international was a shock signing and underwhelmed the fan base, the club pursued a world-class defensive midfielder all summer and failed to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton who chose Chelsea instead.
It was a low-risk signing at the price of £18m and at times last season, Endo made the cost look like pennies as he settled into life in the Premier League as the Reds pushed on for the title.
The 31-year-old was a shrewd stop-gap signing but Liverpool are approaching another summer where a world-class defensive midfielder is needed, and Endo proved that right as he struggled against Real Betis.
He only managed to win 40 per cent of his ground duels throughout the first half, losing possession four times, committing two fouls, and earning a yellow card.
Endo made one tackle in the match and was also dribbled past on one occasion, the stats do not make great reading for Liverpool’s starting defensive midfielder.
The Reds are the only Premier League side yet to make a signing this summer, but as Slot assesses his inherited squad, he said he would be surprised if no signings come through the door at Anfield this summer (BBC Sport, 26 July).
Bajcetic returning to the fold will be a welcome boost to the midfield, but a more experienced and well-rounded number six is needed if Liverpool want to compete on all fronts this season.
Fabio Carvalho performed well but has a big decision to make
Fabio Carvalho has returned to Liverpool with a point to prove after a mixed season out on loan last term.
He started the season in Germany with RB Leipzig but was recalled after a lack of playing time and sent to Hull City in the Championship.
The 22-year-old thrived in the English second-tier recording nine goals and two assists in 20 appearances. His future at Anfield has been under intense speculation since he appeared to fall out of favour under Klopp during his debut season with the Reds in the 2022/23 season.
Carvalho, like the rest of the squad, has a fresh start under Slot but it appears the discrepancies on his best position in the side remain the same.
“”I think I play better as a number 10,” he said to journalists in the USA. “We spoke about it and [Slot] told me to try and settle on the wing but obviously I know where I play best and I feel that is as a number 10.
“I’m just going to do what he wants me to do and just work as hard as I can for him. He’s giving me good instructions and motivating me a lot in training and giving me that confidence.” (Liverpool.com, 27 July)
He started the match at left wing against Real Betis and put in a solid performance considering it is not his favoured position.
Carvalho won 60 per cent of his ground duels (more than defensive midfielder Endo), completed 76 per cent of his passes with one key pass, and had two shots throughout the match with one on target.
Slot and Klopp share the same opinion on where best to utilise Carvalho in this Liverpool side, and he will need to adjust to the expectations if he is to become a success at Anfield.
That decision is ultimately up to the player, it would be a shame to see a promising young talent leave the club but it could be a move that benefits all parties if Carvalho is adamant about continuing his career playing as a number 10.
In other Liverpool news, Arne Slot provides an injury update on Curtis Jones after friendly withdrawal.
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