Arne Slot has same Liverpool issue as Jurgen Klopp and only transfer may solve it

Anfield may have hosted two friendlies on Sunday but it was a venue almost 250 miles away that was ultimately focusing minds. And this was a final chance for Liverpool’s players to present their case for inclusion when the Premier League kicks off at Ipswich Town next weekend.

The strength of the side that started the impressive 4-1 victory over Sevilla in front of a near-capacity crowd would suggest most would expect to line up at Portman Road, particularly given the forgettable behind-closed-doors goalless draw with Las Palmas that followed.

Not every position, though, is set in stone, given the need for further minutes among several of the later returnees – six made their first outings of pre-season in the first friendly – and the competition for places in certain areas.

One of those is the number 10 role, which has assumed greater prominence under Arne Slot having largely not been utilised in a Jurgen Klopp midfield.

It was a mild surprise, then, to see Dominik Szoboszlai given the nod for the more glamorous of the two games. There is an argument the decision was justified by the Hungarian playing a key part in Liverpool’s third goal, but it couldn’t fully mask an overall performance in which he once again appeared off the pace and worryingly low in confidence.

And while Harvey Elliott had been the more impressive on the United States tour, his subdued display against Las Palmas did little to enhance the 21-year-old’s prospects for next week.

Then there are the continued question marks over the two deep-lying midfielders. Alexis Mac Allister will surely take one slot, with Ryan Gravenberch having seemingly edged ahead of Curtis Jones and the again under-par Wataru Endo, although Szoboszlai is an alternative.

The Reds, though, will hope Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi soon bolsters Slot’s options.

While both Liverpool teams ostensibly lined up as a 4-2-3-1, there was some tactical fluidity, Trent-Alexander Arnold pushing into central midfield in the second half against Sevilla while Conor Bradley did similar almost from the start against Las Palmas.

Slot would perhaps have wanted Liverpool to have been given more of a test defensively by Sevilla, although that said much about the manner in which the Reds were able to keep and use possession, which wasn’t always the case in the second game.

Barring late injury, it would appear the team to open the Premier League season is mostly locked in. But the midfield – as it has been for so long at Liverpool – remains very much open to debate.