Liverpool continued their impressive run under Arne Slot during their US pre-season tour, securing a 2-1 victory against Premier League rivals Arsenal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Harvey Elliott was a standout performer for the Reds, delivering two exceptional assists that dismantled the typically resilient Gunners defense.
His first assist came in the 13th minute, sending Mo Salah through to score, followed by a delightful lobbed pass to Fabio Carvalho, who volleyed it home.
Kai Havertz managed to score for Mikel Arteta’s side from close range just before half-time, but Slot’s team maintained their lead in a less eventful second half.
Mail Sport’s Lewis Steele and Isaan Khan were on-site to witness Liverpool’s triumph over Arteta’s team, providing insights on what was learned from the match.
Harvey Elliott (right) provided a lovely assist for Fabio Carvalho (left) to score Liverpool’s second goal against Arsenal
Mo Salah opened the scoring for the Reds as they beat Arsenal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Martin Odegaard provided a bit of magic in the build-up to the Gunners’ only goal of the game
Elliott making his mark
Harvey Elliott expressed to Mail Sport earlier this week his readiness to step into a leadership role and be instrumental in Arne Slot’s plans, and based on his performance, the 21-year-old is clearly backing that up.
Playing in a No 10 role, he registered two outstanding assists. The first was a precise pass that set Mohamed Salah on a clear path to goal, followed by another assist with a clever chip for Fabio Carvalho.
Elliott was one of the more frequently used players at Liverpool last season, yet his starting appearances were limited. This season presents an opportunity for him to make his mark, especially with Slot’s arrival offering a fresh start.
Beyond his contributions to goals, Elliott constantly sought the ball and appeared dangerous, even attempting a Rabona pass to Luca Stephenson in the second half, showcasing his increasing confidence.
With several key players absent for Liverpool, this pre-season tour has provided opportunities for fringe players like Elliott to demonstrate their worth to the new coaching staff. After two promising performances in the United States, he is certainly seizing his opportunity.
21-year-old Elliott is taking his chance in the system deployed by new head coach Arne Slot
Dutch defender’s stock is rising
Liverpool defender Sepp van den Berg made headlines this week with a surprising comment, claiming that his estimated value of around £20 million is too high, suggesting he might be priced out of a transfer.
PSV Eindhoven recently had a bid of about £10 million rejected following Van den Berg’s solid performance during his loan spell at Mainz in Germany. Despite his remarks, Liverpool is confident that their valuation of the defender is justified.
Sporting director Richard Hughes has kept an eye on other transfers this window involving young defenders, such as Dean Huijsen’s move from Juventus to Bournemouth for £20 million despite having played less than ten times in Serie A, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to Southampton for the same amount.
Thus, Liverpool believes that £20 million for Van den Berg is reasonable given his experience with two seasons in the Bundesliga and two in the Championship. While his sale isn’t guaranteed, especially after two strong performances in pre-season, his value is likely to increase.
He was calm and composed in Liverpool’s defense during the match, making crucial defensive interventions. After his impressive showing in the States, that £20 million price tag could very well rise.
Sepp Van Den Berg has impressed in his two games at centre-back on the US pre-season tour
Slot’s tactical flexibility
Elliott referred to Slot’s approach as a ‘typical Dutch style’ earlier this week, and indeed, it was evident. While it wasn’t quite Total Football, the attacking play, particularly in the first half, was fluid and dynamic.
Players were frequently swapping positions throughout the match. For instance, Dominik Szoboszlai played as a deep-lying midfielder but also made runs into the channels and surged into the box.
Elliott switched between the roles of No 10 and No 9, while Trey Nyoni was another versatile player, showcasing his talents in various positions during his 45-minute appearance. The 17-year-old was a bright spot in Pittsburgh last week and had notable moments in this match as well.
A key takeaway from the evening was that Slot’s style is attractive, fluid, and vertical. It’s worth noting that if this system already seems polished, it will likely improve further with the return of senior players to the AXA Training Centre.
The intense heat and humidity of Philadelphia seemed to wear on the players in the later stages as the match slowed down. However, the seamless football displayed by Slot’s squad offered Liverpool fans staying up late back home plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward.
Slot’s system is already easy to identify following their wins over Real Betis and the Gunners
Arsenal’s midfield lacking Declan Rice
This match marked the first instance during Arsenal’s pre-season tour where the absence of Declan Rice became noteworthy.
The midfielder is currently away, alongside Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, and David Raya, after receiving extra recuperation time following England’s defeat in the Euros against Spain.
Especially in the first half, Liverpool repeatedly exploited gaps in the middle of the pitch.
The lack of cohesion in the backline further compounded issues, as Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Gabriel have limited experience playing together. However, the primary issue stemmed from the midfield.
It was Thomas Partey’s role to coordinate and protect the area in front of the defense, and he struggled to control the Liverpool pressure, often leaving the backline vulnerable. When he sought support to the left, Zinchenko’s positioning made it difficult to find assistance.
Of course, this is not the defense or midfield—where Havertz unusually found himself— that Arsenal intends to deploy many times this season.
However, it served as a reminder of Rice’s influence on the team.
Thomas Partey (left) struggled in midfield and left the backline exposed too many times
Mikel Arteta manages Jurrien Timber’s fitness
Mikel Arteta made a surprising but wise decision by not including Jurrien Timber in the Arsenal lineup.
Initially, it raised eyebrows given Timber’s impressive performances in the previous two pre-season matches against Manchester United and Bournemouth, where he played 63 and 62 minutes respectively.
The 23-year-old had shown his strength and ability to physically challenge opponents, demonstrating resilience after a long injury layoff. This was particularly encouraging after recovering from an ACL injury.
It would have been intriguing to see how he would have coped against a Liverpool attack featuring players like Mo Salah and Diogo Jota. However, caution was warranted.
After an extensive eight-month recovery from his ACL injury sustained against Nottingham Forest, Timber did not require rushing back into action.
Arsenal would have regretted pushing him too hard and risking another injury before the season even starts.
Ultimately, this was a sensible decision.
Jurrien Timber was with Arsenal at the Lincoln Financial Field but sat out of the match
Nketiah’s future in limbo
Before departing on a midnight flight from Philadelphia to London, Arsenal hinted at the uncertain futures of some players.
Eddie Nketiah remained on the bench during the match, a game where he likely expected to either start or come on sooner than the 78th minute.
The lack of playing time tends to reinforce speculation regarding his potential exit. A long-term move to Marseille appears to be a strong possibility, as it would provide the striker with regular first-team opportunities that he is unlikely to receive at Arsenal this season.
Eddie Nketiah is the subject of interest from many clubs as his Arsenal career seemingly nears its end
Reiss Nelson also started, indicating that Arsenal are weighing their options with him. Several clubs have expressed interest, but given that Nelson signed a four-year contract last July, it could be complicated for him to leave if the Gunners decide to move him on.
The winger had a lackluster performance in the first half before being substituted at halftime. His overall absence from the field this year limited his ability to perform well at the start of this match. To evaluate him fairly, he needs more game time.
Nonetheless, he displayed potential with a notable cross in the 20th minute.
