Liverpool have begun the Premier League season in perfect fashion, sitting at the top of the table with four wins from four.
But while the points column looks flawless, there is an acknowledgment within the camp that the team is still some way off reaching its true level.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker, one of Liverpool’s most senior figures and a leader both on and off the pitch, has admitted that despite the excitement surrounding the club’s big-money summer signings, the Reds are still feeling the absence of players who left Anfield during a turbulent transfer window – in particular, Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez.
In an interview with ESPN’s SportCenter, the Brazilian was refreshingly candid when reflecting on what Liverpool have lost and what still needs to be built in the months ahead.
“All the players who left were important,” Alisson explained. “Lucho, Darwin, they all made a difference for us with goals or their playing, fighting, defending. They had good energy, and we miss them. The ones who arrived are stars, they’re doing very well with their contributions, they have a lot of quality. It’s clear we want to improve because we need to; we have many competitions to play.”
Those words underline the size of the transition facing Arne Slot in his second season in charge. Liverpool’s recruitment team sanctioned a huge spending spree in the summer, bringing in Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike in deals worth around £320 million combined.
Yet such heavy investment was offset by the departure of several big names. Alongside Díaz and Núñez, academy graduates Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah also moved on.
Díaz and Núñez, in particular, were not just squad players they were central to Liverpool’s title-winning campaign last season. Their energy, pressing and goals proved decisive with another Premier League crown. It is little wonder that Alisson admits their absence is keenly felt.
Both players have already demonstrated their quality on new stages. Díaz’s Bayern Munich career began with a bang, scoring the decisive goal on his debut to clinch the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup.
He followed that up with a blistering Bundesliga start, adding another three goals and two assists across his opening league fixtures. In total, the Colombian has four goals and two assists in just five Bayern appearances a reminder of the cutting edge Liverpool have lost.
Meanwhile, Núñez needed just two games to open his account at Al-Hilal, finding the net against Al-Qadsiah. Though the Saudi Pro League may not carry the same prestige as the Premier League or Bundesliga, the Uruguayan’s raw power and eye for goal remain evident.
Liverpool’s replacements are undoubtedly talented, but as Alisson and others have stressed, they will require time to truly settle. Florian Wirtz has only managed a single goal contribution so far – on his debut in the Community Shield win over Crystal Palace while Alexander Isak is still waiting for his first appearance.
The Swedish striker could finally debut in the Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid, a moment many supporters are eagerly anticipating.
The most encouraging of the new recruits has been Hugo Ekitike, whose pace, movement and sharp finishing have brought him three goals and an assist in his first five matches. Even so, there remains a sense that Liverpool’s attack is still learning how to function as a unit.
For Alisson, the bottom line is clear the Reds are winning now, but they must raise their standards if they are to challenge deep into every competition. In the meantime, supporters may need to embrace the scrappy, late winners as part of the growing pains of a team finding its new identity.
