Liverpool head coach Arne Slot believes Liverpool’s summer signings have now had a first-hand taste of exactly what to expect in the Premier League.
Liverpool’s “2.0” era under the Dutchman got its grand unveiling at Wembley on Sunday and returned a mix of promise and problems. At times, the Reds looked slick and dangerous; at others, shaky and vulnerable. The result was a 2-2 draw in normal time, followed by a 3-2 defeat on penalties.
Four of the Reds’ new arrivals made their competitive debuts from the start. Record £116m signing Florian Wirtz slotted into attacking midfield and Hugo Ekitike led the line, while Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez formed a fresh full-back pairing.
The only new face not to feature was goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who watched from the bench as Alisson regained his spot having returned to the team following personal reasons.
Both Ekitike and Frimpong marked their debuts with goals — the first time two Liverpool players have done so in the same match since Craig Bellamy and Mark Gonzalez struck against Maccabi Haifa in August 2006.
But the positives came with a warning. Twice Liverpool took the lead and twice they were pegged back by Oliver Glasner’s side, who grew into the game and dominated the latter stages.
By the end Palace looked the stronger side and, while the game ended level after 90 minutes, the south Londoners took the trophy in the 3-2 shootout triumph.
For Slot, who guided Liverpool to the Premier League title at his first attempt in England, the day was as much about education as silverware.
While his tweaks to Jürgen Klopp’s side delivered a Premier League crown, this is a new team with new combinations and they are still learning each other’s games.
Of the four debutants, only Kerkez had previous Premier League experience. Wirtz, Frimpong and Ekitike are all adapting, not only to the speed and physicality of English football but to the unique demands that come with wearing the Liverpool shirt.
Wembley, in Slot’s eyes, was the perfect first lesson, and acknowledged post-match that his revamped squad still have fine-tuning to do.
“We’ve indeed replaced four players and sometimes you need some time either to adapt offensively or adapt defensively.”
It was a clear message from the Dutchman — the Premier League will not make allowances for a bedding-in period, and every opponent will see Liverpool as a prize scalp.
The warning was as much for his senior players as it was for the new faces, who must now adjust to the relentless pressure and intensity that comes with defending a title.
Slot believes Sunday’s bruising contest will have given his summer arrivals an immediate taste of the reality of English football and of life as Liverpool players.
“This [Palace] was the number 12 team of last season, a very good team especially towards the end [of the season], so that maybe they are better than the 12th position they ended up in.
If this is the number 12 team who can make it such a hard time for you then you know what you have to expect if you are going to play here [in England].
This is what they know now and the ones that played here for a longer time also know that if you’ve won the league, if you wear a Liverpool shirt then everybody wants to win desperately against you.
We have to be more ready for that than we were today.”
The reigning champions ended last season as the Premier League’s top scorers and with the second-best defensive record, and the Dutchmen knows that to replicate that success his side must rediscover their defensive steel without losing their attacking verve.
Against the Eagles, they showed glimpses of both, but also cracks that will need covering quickly.
Friday’s opener against Bournemouth at Anfield will give the Reds an immediate chance to respond. This time, the stakes will be higher and the lessons from Wembley in focus, concentration and resilience will be put to the test.
For now, the Reds’ boss will take encouragement from the fact his new-look frontline showed its scoring potential. However, he will be equally aware that Liverpool’s season will be defined not by their ability to dazzle in moments, but by their capacity to stay in control when the pressure comes.
At Wembley, his new signings learned their first lesson in that challenge. The real examination starts in four days from now.
