Liverpool beat Arsenal in Philadelphia – four things we learnt
Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
By Chris Bascombe and Sam Dean
First half goals from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho gave Liverpool a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field in the early hours of this morning, with Kai Havertz on target for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Telegraph Sport’s Chris Bascombe and Sam Dean give the lowdown on what we learned from an entertaining friendly between two sides hoping to be title rivals again in the season ahead.
Auditions for creative number six
Roll up, roll up, there is a vacancy for a Liverpool playmaker and fun to be had in Arne Slot’s new look side.
Curtis Jones took the job in the first pre-season tour game. He was joined in the ‘double pivot’ against Arsenal by Dominik Szoboszlai, and suddenly the supposed ‘minor tactical tweaks’ to the Jurgen Klopp formation looked more radical with Slot encouraging his players to ensure the ball does as much work as their legs.
Liverpool are seeking more controlled possession, and their formation appears to be more fluid than during the Klopp era.
For 35 minutes, Arsenal could not work it out, attackers also enjoying their freedom as Harvey Elliott shone with two stunning first half assists, first for Mohamed Salah and then Fabio Carvalho.
Liverpool’s squad is packed with multi-tasking footballers. Jones and Szoboszlai could be attacking midfielders in the next game, so everything must be viewed through the lens of pre-season experimentation.
Nevertheless, given the absence of at least six senior players who would be guaranteed starters previously, it was highly encouraging to see the confidence and creativity to play so many one touch passes against opponents of such pedigree, even if both tour games have seen some risky playing from the back.
It is often said that the modern coaches fall into two categories, either disciples of Arrigo Sacchi or Johan Cruyff. Klopp was a self-professed Sacchi follower. Slot is unsurprisingly a graduate of his Dutch football university, making it obvious how he plans to evolve the side.
Klopp’s farewell gift
There was much angst among a section of Liverpool supporters when the club expressed interest but then ruled themselves out of a move for Leny Yoro, the 18-year-old moving to Manchester United instead. Jarell Quansah is a reminder that the prodigious talent via the academy ranks can be as exciting as a £60 million signing.
Liverpool certainly need strength in depth at centre-half, and must take a long-term view given Virgil Van Dijk is 33. But Quansah carries himself completely differently to the inexperienced youngster who made his Liverpool debut at the start of last season, and looked every inch the England international when making the first sliding tackle to deny Gabriel Jesus a tap-in.
It would be difficult for Liverpool to justify allocating resources on another defender who would expect to partner Van Dijk from day one, especially as Ibrahima Konate will back himself to return to form.
Since Steven Gerrard retired, only two Liverpool academy graduates – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones – have reached 100 Premier League appearances.
Injury permitting, Quansah is destined to join that elite club. Liverpool’s next centre-half recruit should expect to challenge and learn from the 21-year-old, not replace him. No wonder Liverpool gave Newcastle United short shrift when they suggested Quansah become a makeweight in a deal for Anthony Gordon.
Partey questions
Thomas Partey is now 31 and he has had a series of injury issues in recent years, so it is perhaps to be expected that he is no longer as physically dominant as he once was. He can still play the line-breaking passes that unleash Arsenal’s attackers but it feels increasingly fair to ask whether he retains the physical capacity to cover the ground in midfield.
It is only pre-season, of course. Arsenal, like all Premier League clubs, are still in the fitness-building phase of their summer. But there will be concern at how much space Liverpool had in the attacking midfield positions, where Elliott excelled in the first half. Partey simply could not get a grip on the Liverpool playmaker in those early exchanges.
He has only one year remaining on his Arsenal contract and the club would listen to offers for his services this summer. His high wages make such an approach unlikely, though, and the expectation is that he will remain in north London for one more campaign.
Arteta is a huge admirer. As Arsenal chased the league title last season, Partey started the final five games of the campaign – and Arsenal won all of those games. But in a team full of players who are coming into their prime, he needs to prove that he is not past his.
Academy promise
It has been a good tour for two of the brightest prospects in the Arsenal academy: Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Both players are only 17 but they have long been seen as the most exciting talents of their age-group, and they have not looked out of place in the first team this summer.
Nwaneri, the youngest player in Premier League history, has appeared comfortable in an attacking midfield position in each of Arsenal’s friendly games. He was a second-half substitute against Liverpool and was typically composed on the ball.
The same can be said for Lewis-Skelly, who has spent his youth career as a central midfielder but has been deployed as an inverted left-back in the United States. In a slow second half, which was lacking in zip as a result of the numerous changes made by both teams, the crispness of Lewis-Skelly’s passing was impressive. He has a precious knack for whipping disguised passes between the opposition lines.
Both players face an uphill battle to be first-team regulars once the season begins, but there is no doubt that they are knocking on the door. This summer is likely to mark the end of the Arsenal journey for academy graduates Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson, but it might just come to represent the start of the story for Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly. As three Hale End products leave, two more begin to break through.
Liverpool beat Arsenal in Philadelphia: As it happened
03:02 AM BST
Sold-out Lincoln Financial Field
6️⃣9️⃣,8️⃣7️⃣9️⃣
A new record football/soccer attendance in Philadelphia! Thank you for your fantastic support 👏 pic.twitter.com/4fD9qOpzan— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 1, 2024
03:00 AM BST
Salah on the scoresheet
It was a typical Mo Salah goal tonight, making that run from out to in. It was a very similar goal he scored against the same opponents at Anfield back in August 2019 in a 3-1 win for Liverpool.
02:58 AM BST
Second victory on the US tour
Liverpool beat Real Betis 1-0 in Pittsburgh on Friday night and have now secured a 2-1 victory tonight against Arsenal. Their final game of the tour is against Manchester United on the weekend.
Two wins from two so far on tour 😁 pic.twitter.com/dNLUX4otxp
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 1, 2024
02:56 AM BST
Carvalho impressive
It was a good performance tonight from Fabio Carvalho. He scored a superb goal and caused Ben White plenty of problems.
02:42 AM BST
FT verdict
“Arne Slot will be hugely encouraged by that victory. The least one can expect from a new manager is visible signs of his training ground routines, and the evidence of his coaching plan was plentiful, especially in the first half. Elliott, Quansah and Szoboszlai in his deeper midfield role were prominent, and Salah showed he has lost none of his lightning pace.
“Arsenal will feel they should have secured a draw given their second half dominance, but Liverpool’s young substitutes resisted well in the final stages. There was enough to suggest both teams are progressing well in their preparations, especially given their high profile international absentees.”
02:40 AM BST
FT
There is the full-time whistle and Liverpool are victorious in Philadelphia.
Victory for the Reds in Philly 💪🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/sTCmkwSd5t
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 1, 2024
02:35 AM BST
90 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Liverpool break from the Arsenal corner. Blair plays it onto Nyoni, who shoots across goal from the edge of the box. Hein gets down well to his right to make the save.
We are into five minutes of added time.
02:34 AM BST
89 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Arsenal have a corner on the left as we approach the 90-minute mark as Stephenson blocks a Trossard cross. Arsenal work it short and then send it in. Stephenson heads away but Arsenal keep it alive. A brilliant challenge from Morton gives Arsenal another corner on the other side.
02:28 AM BST
84 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
More Arsenal changes:
ON Nichols, Heaven
OFF Gabriel, White
02:26 AM BST
82 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Nketiah is found on the right-hand side of the box by Odegaard but from a narrow angle his shot goes wide of the far post.
02:26 AM BST
81 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
The first booking of the night goes to Endo for a foul on Vieira. It gives Arsenal a free-kick in a good position on the right. Phillips wins the header and Endo then blocks a shot. Arsenal keep it alive and send in a cross from the right, which Kiwior meets but he cannot keep his header down and it goes over.
02:23 AM BST
77 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Couple of Arsenal changes during that water break:
ON Nketiah, Jorginho
OFF Jesus , Partey
02:19 AM BST
75 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Time for a drinks break in the Philadelphia heat. 15 minutes to go.
“Arsenal can turn this around in the last 15 minutes given the number of changes. It is not the game it was for the first hour, sadly. Slot must be delighted with what he saw when his more senior players were on, particularly in the first half. It’s more of an exercise in holding on for his youngsters from here. Arsenal will not want their rivals to claim a morale-boosting win, no matter how inconsequential the result of a friendly.”
02:17 AM BST
72 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Plenty of Liverpool changes:
ON Beck, Nallo, Morton, Blair, Bajcetic, Phillips, Doak
OFF Tsimikas, Salah, Elliott, Carvalho, Quansah, Van den Berg, Szoboszlai
02:15 AM BST
70 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Arsenal double change:
ON Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly
OFF Zinchenko, Havertz
02:13 AM BST
68 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Vieira has a shot from the right-hand side of the box having been found by Odegaard, which Kelleher saves. Arsenal have a corner.
Vieira sends in the corner into a good area and Jesus heads over. He should have left it for Havertz behind who was running onto it, rather than Jesus back-pedaling.
02:10 AM BST
66 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
“Arsenal the better team since half-time, although that is currently serving to further emphasise the excellence of Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah. He is quite the prospect at centre-back.”
02:09 AM BST
64 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Szoboszlai finds Tsimikas in acres of space on the left-hand side of the box. Tsimikas cannot find a Liverpool teammate as his cross is too heavy.
02:01 AM BST
56 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Havertz sends in a cross from the left but Quansah is on hand to head the ball away. Quansah has been excellent tonight.
01:58 AM BST
53 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Arsenal win the first corner of this second half after it comes off Tsimikas last. The corner is sent in by Vieira but it is a poor delivery, massively over-hit and goes out for a Liverpool throw-in on the other side.
01:52 AM BST
47 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Havertz has the first effort of the second half as he drags his shot wide of the far post from the edge of the box.
01:50 AM BST
Second half
We are back under way in Philadelphia.
As Arne Slot said before the game, Jota has come off at half-time having played the first 45 minutes. Slot has made three changes at the break as Nyoni, Stephenson and Endo come on for Jota, Bradley and Jones. 17-year-old Nyoni was very impressive against Real Betis the other night.
Arsenal have also made two changes as Trossard and Vieira have come on for Nelson and Martinelli.
01:35 AM BST
HT verdict
“A good quality, entertaining game for a warm-up match. Both teams wanted to make a statement in that first half, Liverpool edging it. Will be hard for both sides to maintain the quality and tempo when the inevitable second half changes follow. Reckon both Slot and Arteta will be reasonably happy with what they have seen, Arsenal recovering well from going two-down.”
01:31 AM BST
HT
There is the whistle and Liverpool lead 2-1 at the break.
Up at the break 🙌🔴 pic.twitter.com/B3oM7H0Cfu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 1, 2024
01:30 AM BST
45+3 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Another good chance for Jota in this first half. Salah finds him in the centre of the box but he fluffs his shot and wastes the opportunity.
01:29 AM BST
45+2 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Elliott should do better there. Jota does brilliantly down the left and finds Elliott. As he approaches the edge of the box, he has Salah to the right but he does not play it to him. He takes too long to take the shot and Havertz nips in to take possession.
01:27 AM BST
45 mins: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Five added minutes at the end of this first half.
01:22 AM BST
GOAL! Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1
Havertz (40’)
Arsenal have a goal back. A cross from the left finds Odegaard at the far post. Tsimikas tries to pre-empt Odegaard cutting it back but makes the wrong decision. Odegaard then finds Havertz, whose first-time flick finds the net.
01:17 AM BST
GOAL! Liverpool 2 Arsenal 0
Carvalho (34’)
That is a sensational goal. The assist and the finish. Elliott dinks a sublime ball over the Arsenal defenders from just outside the box and finds the run of Carvalho, whose first-time finish is fantastic as well and beats Hein into the bottom corner.
“Two assists for Elliott - the second sensational. This is hugely encouraging from Liverpool. Arsenal look like they need a few more conditioning sessions at the moment. Slot’s team is visibly sharper.”
01:12 AM BST
30 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Liverpool should be 2-0 up. Elliott finds Jota inside the box but the Portuguese’s strike hits the post. He should have scored there.
01:09 AM BST
27 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Brilliant defending from Quansah. Odegaard finds Martinelli in the left-hand channel and it looks like he is going to square it to Jesus, but Quansah slides in brilliantly to make the interception.
01:07 AM BST
25 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Szoboszlai tries to find Quansah but the ball is over-hit. Quansah was in acres of space so if Szoboszlai had found him it could very easily have been 2-0.
01:06 AM BST
24 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Liverpool win a free-kick in a central position not far outside the Arsenal box after Carvalho is fouled after a superb turn. Szoboszlai to take...
01:04 AM BST
22 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Tsimikas is down after a blow to the stomach so whilst he is receiving treatment we are going to have a water break.
“Arsenal’s best moments have come from Liverpool overdoing it playing from the back. Arteta’s line-up is more experienced but they’re struggling to work out Liverpool’s fluid formation at the moment. Already obvious how it is different to Klopp’s - a ‘double pivot’ to keep the tactical aficionados happy and much more one-touch passing. Pleasing on the eye.”
01:02 AM BST
20 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Nelson crosses a dangerous ball into the centre of the Liverpool area, which finds Jesus. Szoboszlai does just enough to put Jesus off just as he was taking on the strike and the Arsenal forward’s effort goes wide.
12:58 AM BST
16 mins: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
“Slot looks like he is working through his midfielders to find a number 6. Today’s audition in the deep role is Dominik Szoboszlai. Pretty high tempo for a pre-season game. Doubt it will finish 1-0.”
12:55 AM BST
GOAL! Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0
Salah (13’)
Liverpool are ahead and it all originates from their own box. Kelleher plays it forward to Jota, whose hold-up play is excellent and heads it back to Elliott. He finds Salah making a run from out to in that we have seen so many times over the years with an excellent through ball. Salah is through on goal and curls it into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to give Liverpool the lead.
12:53 AM BST
11 mins: Liverpool 0 Arsenal 0
Elliott has an effort from the edge of the box with his right foot but his effort is tame, taking a deflection and easily ending up in the arms of Hein. He should have played a pass into the feet of Salah, who was in a great position in the box.
12:48 AM BST
6 mins: Liverpool 0 Arsenal 0
Salah drives a cross into the centre of the box from the right but it runs through to Hein in the Arsenal goal.
12:45 AM BST
3 mins: Liverpool 0 Arsenal 0
Kelleher is very lucky. He takes too long on the ball on the edge of his box and Jesus closes him down. Jesus’s block rolls past Kelleher’s post and wide, much to the Liverpool goalkeeper’s relief.
12:43 AM BST
2 mins: Liverpool 0 Arsenal 0
Havertz is found down the left-hand side. He cuts it back to Jesus, whose touch is heavy. That allows Kelleher to get to the ball first and Liverpool can clear their lines.
12:41 AM BST
Kick-off
We are under way in Philadelphia.
12:39 AM BST
Kick-off fast approaching
Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off. Lincoln Financial Field is sold-out and it is loud in Philadelphia.
Before kick-off both sides will take part in a minute’s silence to pay respect to the victims of the attack in Southport.
12:36 AM BST
Chance to impress
“Trivial fact of the night. Liverpool defender Sepp Van Den Berg is a neighbour of mine - when he is not on loan, anyway. Please note, he does not live in a rich footballer’s mansion, although given his £20 million valuation by Liverpool it is only a matter of time before he upgrades. Slot has been keen to take a good look at the Dutch centre-back amid rumours Liverpool are looking for reinforcements. Given Arsenal’s pretty strong starting line-up it will be a good examination of how much Van Den Berg has improved.”
12:34 AM BST
Singer Jamie Webster performing in the fan park
12:33 AM BST
Reminder of the team news
Liverpool: Kelleher, Bradley, Quansah, Van den Berg, Tsimikas, Jones, Elliott, Szoboszlai, Salah, Carvalho, Jota.
Substitues: Davies, Pitaluga, Jaros, Konate, Gravenberch, Endo, Morton, Nyoni, Chambers, Beck, Stephenson, Phillips, Nallo, Doak, Gordon, Bajcetic, Blair, Koumas, McConnell.
Arsenal: Hein, White, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Odegaard, Havertz, Nelson, Jesus, Martinelli.
Substitutes: Setford, Nygaard, Rojas, Heaven, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, Rekik, Jorginho, Rosiak, Salah, Gower, Vieira, Trossard, Sagoe Jr, Nwaneri, Nketiah.
12:25 AM BST
Arsenal warming up
Ready to give our all in Philadelphia ✊ pic.twitter.com/Ydmt8M8QvS
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 31, 2024
12:24 AM BST
Slot speaking
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has been speaking pre-match and has said that Diogo Jota, in his first appearance of pre-season, will play 45 minutes tonight. Slot has also admitted that although Ryan Gravenberch and Ibrahima Konate are in the squad tonight, they will not play tonight as they have only just joined up with the squad in the last couple of days.
12:19 AM BST
No Calafiori tonight
Arsenal fans will have to wait a little longer to see their new man in action on the pitch. Riccardo Calafiori is with the squad after securing a £42 million move from Bologna just a matter of days ago but is not in their matchday squad tonight.
12:11 AM BST
Importance of Jota
“Ask Liverpool fans to pinpoint the beginning of the end of season’s title bid and many will say it was when Diogo Jota was injured last February. His absence for the games that mattered could have been the difference.
“His role in his first pre-season outing will be fascinating. He played as a wide striker under Klopp. It looks like he will be the number 9. When he is fit and sharp, there is no better finisher at Anfield.”
12:08 AM BST
Eddie Nketiah to Marseille?
He is on the bench for Arsenal tonight but could he be on the move this summer? Arsenal are currently in negotiations with Marseille, who are interested in adding the striker to their ranks. Sam Dean has the latest as well as other transfer news from around the Premier League including West Ham’s attempts to sign Germany striker Niclas Füllkrug.
11:59 PM BST
Liverpool’s captain tonight
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 31, 2024
11:53 PM BST
Gomez pondering Liverpool future
“Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is considering his Anfield future after it emerged the England international almost left the club last month as part of a swap deal for Anthony Gordon.
“The Merseyside club were prepared to sacrifice Gomez in a move to make Liverpool-born Gordon the first signing of the Arne Slot era.”
Chris Bascombe has the full story.
11:45 PM BST
Arsenal arriving
The Arsenal ✊ pic.twitter.com/bW8DsKINPv
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 31, 2024
11:42 PM BST
Philadelphia the stage for tonight’s friendly
Setting the scene in Philly 🏙️ pic.twitter.com/eMJKG0C9qR
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 31, 2024
11:37 PM BST
Arsenal team news
⚫️ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 🔴
🧱 Kiwior partners Gabriel at the back
⚖️ Partey in the middle
⚡️ Martinelli out wide
Looking to end our USA Tour positively 👊 pic.twitter.com/7wTbrDYYYf— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 31, 2024
11:35 PM BST
Liverpool team news
Team news from Philly ahead of our clash with Arsenal 📋🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 31, 2024
11:19 PM BST
Match preview
Good evening and welcome to coverage of the pre-season friendly between Liverpool and Arsenal at a sold-out Lincoln Financial Field, the home of NFL team Philadelphia Eagles.
Liverpool kicked off their US tour with a 1-0 win over Real Betis in Pittsburgh thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s winner. Diogo Jota is set to make his first appearance on the tour after the Euros. After tonight, Liverpool finish up their tour with a game against Manchester United in South Carolina on the weekend before flying home.
Arsenal have already played two games against Premier League rivals on their tour of the USA. They drew 1-1 with Bournemouth before beating Manchester United 2-1. New signing Riccardo Calafoiri, who joined Arsenal from Bologna for around £42 million just a few days ago, could make his Arsenal debut tonight. Emile Smith-Rowe will not be involved for Mikel Arteta’s side as he closes in on a move to Fulham. Eddie Nketiah’s future at the club is up in the air as talks with Marseille continue. Tonight is Arsenal’s final game of their US tour.
Both sides are still without a whole host of international players after the Euros and Copa America. Liverpool are without the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson and Alexis Mac Allister whilst Arsenal are still to welcome back Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and David Raya.
Prior to kick-off there will be a minute’s silence to pay respect to all those affected in the attacks in Southport.
Team news to follow shortly.
