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00:00Saturday lunchtime, 45 minutes that turned into 60 and 70 for those in the box seat to start that game.
00:08It will be the entirety for most of what we're looking at here at Anfield today,
00:14and it's conditions, weather that these Liverpool players, Ray, will be well used to,
00:19having conditioned themselves in the US at 96 degrees heat and 80-odd degrees humidity,
00:25they're well used to it.
00:26Yeah, absolutely, obviously I did the game against Arsenal,
00:29I thought the first half was exceptional, the fitness level of the players was quite incredible,
00:34the way they approached the game was very, very good indeed,
00:38and the manager would have been delighted with it.
00:41You'll also notice that Sousa, by the looks of it, has been given the captain's armband for Sevilla,
00:47and a nice touch for a place where he hoped to make his name as a Liverpool player,
00:52it didn't quite work out that way.
00:54And not just Liverpool, where the players will have been hoping for a clean slate,
00:59a new start in recent weeks, it's been a big rebuild at Sevilla,
01:04and a chance perhaps to work their way back in,
01:07and an early touch for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who just steers away any kind of enthusiasm
01:11Sevilla were trying to build on that left-hand side.
01:13Yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens with Trent this season,
01:17predominantly when he played under Jurgen Klopp, he was used as an inverted full-back,
01:22came into a central position on numerous occasions,
01:25I wonder if he'll be given the licence to do that under the new manager.
01:30Tidying up from Joel Kwanzaa,
01:32Gravenberg had thought he was in that same position again,
01:36and an interesting time for him now,
01:39as he tries under his fellow countryman to convince him that he's ready for that starting berth,
01:46and it does look in the opening few minutes of this game, Ray,
01:49that he will take up that sixth position.
01:51Yeah, I think the sixth role under the new manager isn't going to be quite the same as it was before,
01:56where it's just sitting in front of the back four,
01:58just watching Ryan at the moment, he's been given licence to get forward as well.
02:01Salah gets forward as well, and the first sight he gets to provide something.
02:07Sabo Sly thought he had a bit more time than was available in reality.
02:13Kwanzaa, as he does with applause as he settles into this Liverpool life now,
02:19year on from his breakthrough.
02:21Brilliant play there from Mo Salah, just a little one-two,
02:25trying to run in behind the full-back, he'd beaten him,
02:28just the final ball through to him wasn't quite of the quality required,
02:31but he's looking sharp, Mo, in the matches I've seen him.
02:34Sousa tries to open up Liverpool down their left-hand side here,
02:38Alexander-Arnold is across.
02:41A chance for Sevilla to get the first sight as the ball comes in,
02:44and it's Kwanzaa who's equal to it.
02:50Nicely done by Sabo Sly.
02:52And Jota plays his part as well, away comes Salah,
02:55and Diaz has joined in, and almost moved into that nine position,
02:59it's a good ball behind it, back four of Sevilla as well,
03:02and it had to be quick from Milan who gets that danger clear.
03:05Great defending there from the goalkeeper,
03:07start position was excellent, but the awareness and vision of Mo Salah
03:10to see the run-up, Lewis Diaz had made that run from the left-hand side
03:14in a centre position, thought he was through for an opportunity 1v1,
03:18but the keeper was equal to it.
03:20Really good covering.
03:22And there's the full-back wearing 29.
03:25We'll have to be acutely aware of the pace and danger that Diaz offers.
03:33Diogo Jota.
03:38Virgil van Dijk back, captaining Liverpool again,
03:40they really missed him whilst they were away in the US,
03:43not just on the pitch but off it as well.
03:45He's such a prevalent presence, he has such a big say in things as well,
03:49and he's getting used to life, of course, under a brand-new manager.
03:53Sevilla, by the way, managed now under Javier Garcia Pimienta,
03:58had really good success with Barcelona's youth teams,
04:01improving their elite young players,
04:04eventually getting his chance with Las Palmas,
04:06who he really improved, he's direct, he likes to play,
04:09and it'll be a really good test for Liverpool,
04:13in theory, here this afternoon.
04:16Salah, who's looked so lively during the pre-season games so far.
04:20Yeah, he looks like he's got a lot of energy about him,
04:23he wants to score goals, he wants to be involved in a lot of the Liverpool play,
04:27predominantly he's been keeping his width over that right-hand side,
04:30he's come into a central position,
04:32he's just changed positions with Sboczlai,
04:35who's gone over to the right-hand side at the moment,
04:37so they've been given that licence to interchange positions.
04:50Just short of the 61,000 that will be full inside here at Anfield,
04:56it's now the fourth-largest Premier League ground,
04:59and you'll also notice the rail seating in the Kop as well,
05:04which is a new introduction for this season,
05:06but it's great to see people in shirtsleeves,
05:09the red and the white, that of course accommodate these two teams,
05:13and as you know, if you are based in the UK,
05:15you've not had much of a summer,
05:17so it's good to see people basking at last in the sunshine and the heat here
05:21that will help condition these Liverpool players here this afternoon.
05:25It's a lovely ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold,
05:27that gives licence.
05:29And Pedrosa has got his hands full, doesn't complete the job.
05:34Salah's cross in was dangerous-looking,
05:36and Nyland, the goalkeeper of Sevilla,
05:43comes across, and Sevilla on the build again,
05:45this time with Sousa on this right side.
05:48Good defending from Alexis McAllister, lively to it,
05:51these triangles he's been so big on during the pre-season.
05:55Arnold Slott, he'd be delighted with that,
05:57stood in the technical area at the moment.
05:59Salah with a lot to do.
06:01He's got support now from Diogo Jota.
06:04It was slightly enthusiastic defending, but nothing too much wrong with it.
06:08Just a slight concern as Jota stays down.
06:11That's a worry, he's had his injury problems over the last few seasons.
06:15I think it's a head injury more than anything to do with it.
06:18Any part of his legs, just holding the right side of his head,
06:22that might have just took a knock with the challenge.
06:25But that all came from Diaz picking the ball up in a central position,
06:29finding Mo Salah over that right-hand side,
06:32who's looked really up for this Mo Salah.
06:36I'll tell you what, Pedrosa is just struggling over that left-back position,
06:42he needs a bit of help, because there's no doubt Mo Salah's got the pace
06:46to get in behind him on numerous occasions.
06:49Jota is OK, back on his feet and back involved.
06:52You see these players after games, there's no player like it in the Premier League,
06:57with the kind of cuts and bruises that you see Diogo Jota pick up after games.
07:02It's often a talking point amongst the physios.
07:07Are you ready with the bandages?
07:09Yeah, he's that type of player, he's all action.
07:11I love the fact he's not the tallest, but you deliver the ball into the box
07:15and he's extremely good in the air.
07:17He's not afraid to get into positions where he can affect the game inside the 18-yard box,
07:22even if he knows he might take a knock for his troubles.
07:28Sevilla will get the throw-in via the challenge from...
07:32...Ryan Gravenberg.
07:36We're used to seeing Arne Slott so far in the Liverpool track suit,
07:40he's down there fully in blue.
07:43As we often see now with the modern-day managers, they tend to wear their own clothes.
07:49Sevilla.
07:52They can't keep hold of possession, and it's lapsed from them as Simakas comes in again.
07:57It was a robust challenge, this time from Tanguy on Diogo Jota.
08:02Suso too has looked lively, but that was an unfair challenge from Alexis McAllister.
08:06I think that's a couple of occasions where Tanguy and Diogo Jota have come together,
08:11and I think we've got to keep our eye on that little pairing.
08:16Both of them seem like they're up for the game, that's for sure.
08:19Very competitive, neither player pulling out of any of the challenges.
08:25Getting very close now, and as you pointed out at the start,
08:28the 12.30 kick-off, and Arne Slott has already mentioned that.
08:32How far does it throw out your preparation for a game?
08:35It can do, there's no question.
08:39Getting up, having your pre-match meal at a certain time.
08:51I thought Jota was offside, I'm not sure if Luiz Diaz was.
08:55First of all, great covering from Alisson, read it really well,
08:58he's good eight, ten yards outside his box to clear the danger for Liverpool.
09:01But when he's played the ball downfield, just wonder if Diaz was offside or not.
09:05The flag went up quite quickly, which would suggest the assistant referee
09:09was in a good position to see it.
09:13Nyland with a little up-and-under for Iheanacho.
09:16Can't take it that time, but McAllister certainly does.
09:21Van Dijk with a slight job on just to work its way back to Alisson.
09:25I think you call that a jog, because his positional play was excellent.
09:29He's well ahead of Iheanacho, there's no way a severe striker
09:33was gonna get anywhere near him, just to cushion the ball back to his goalkeeper.
09:37Gravenbeek's position today is really interesting,
09:40I've never seen him play that before.
09:42I always thought of him as an attacking midfield player.
09:44There was a little bit of debate about him when he signed,
09:47that might be the position Jürgen Klopp looks to grow him into,
09:51he did figure that as the No. 6 during one of the pre-season games.
09:55I said at the start I wondered if Alexander-Arnold would come in
09:58in a more central position, we've just seen him in there.
10:01And someone with his ability, that's an area you'd like to see him in.
10:05Because if you look at the width Liverpool have got,
10:08with Diaz holding his width on his left-hand side and Salah doing it on the right,
10:12you've got really good options and good pace.
10:16It's a lively opposition they're up against this afternoon,
10:19Collado getting the block on there,
10:21Saul, who you'll see wearing No. 17 for Sevilla this afternoon,
10:27who's on loan from Atletico Madrid.
10:29Two balls on the pitch, I'm not sure what's going on at the moment,
10:32I don't think the referee's seen it, down on that right-hand side,
10:35just outside the 18-yard box.
10:39Trent Alexander-Arnold, who enjoyed an interesting summer with England,
10:44will be at the very forefront of what Liverpool build now going forward.
10:48Played in as many major finals for Liverpool as he had made
10:51major tournament appearances for England now,
10:54which just shows the level of experience,
10:56and I assume his levels at England will increase now from here.
11:01You manage it, with an Irish Lilt, a bit like the man alongside me,
11:05slightly laxadaisical pass back that Diaz was all of a sudden interested in.
11:10Konza just lost it in the light for a second there,
11:12but he was also confident the flag would come up on this near side,
11:15and it has done, and Liverpool will get the chance of a breather.
11:18Yeah, just looking at Arnie Slott and his technical area,
11:21he's just trying to get some information across to his players,
11:24I think he's just having a word with Jotter and Diaz,
11:27maybe with the likes of McAllister and Svobodzlai.
11:33Svobodzlai's got genuine pace, you'd like to see him get forward much more,
11:37I think he could really have a good influence from that area of the field.
11:42Jotter inside to McAllister.
11:45It's Costa-Simacaz.
11:48McAllister who joined in the rondos and a slight warm-up for the final game in the US,
11:53he's straight back into the starting XI for Liverpool here this afternoon,
11:58and usual position for him as he pulls strings inside that midfield.
12:04The slow and deliberate build-up that we've seen evidence as well under Arnie Slott.
12:08He's not had long to get his ideas into the majority of these players on the pitch.
12:13I think when you have good players like Liverpool, it doesn't take long.
12:17Simacaz lively again, he's got the other side here of Benavidez,
12:21couldn't find the cross that Diogo Jota was waiting for.
12:25He's just struggling a little bit, the right full-back as is the left,
12:29Pedro's on the left hand side, Benavidez on the right,
12:32Souza's not coming back to help out defensively,
12:35so there's opportunities for Liverpool with Simacaz getting forward,
12:38alongside Diaz to get 2v1 situations on the right full-back.
12:43Simacaz who will be confident of starting the season,
12:46Andrew Robertson we understand will figure in that second game this afternoon,
12:50so competition is back on again, and that's exactly what Arnie Slott will want.
12:55These two players for exposition that vie to start the season next weekend.
13:04Cool and calm from Alisson Becker.
13:07I'm not sure he's managing to do that too often, though.
13:11He's cutting a similar figure with his hands in his pockets,
13:14he looks pretty calm and happy with things so far,
13:17and he does tell them, oh, that's a mistake from Kwanzaa.
13:20And it's a big opportunity here for Sevilla to take the lead,
13:23and there's a slip from Mazambo at the vital time,
13:28and it should be 1-0 Sevilla.
13:30Yeah, it should be 1-0, what an opportunity, I think he just lost his foot,
13:33his foot just went from under him as he went to take the shot on,
13:36but a mistake from Kwanzaa, that's where you've got to be careful
13:39when you're passing out from the back, you don't make mistakes in the manner you did.
13:42But he should have scored there.
13:45And it's not too often you see a mistake like that,
13:49there will be players getting used to the surface,
13:51and the error from Gerald Kwanzaa, another opportunity to see it here.
13:57His first touch was poor and then he's lunging at it,
13:59there's a dumbbell through,
14:01actually I think he's hit his right foot on his left and took over the crossbar,
14:04really poor effort from him.
14:07Soul plays out, and then it's with Prezosa now.
14:17He seems to have been around forever, doesn't he, Soul?
14:20Yeah.
14:22As I mentioned before, he's on loan from Atletico Madrid,
14:25you'll probably remember him from his Chelsea days.
14:29Collado now.
14:31Inside to Sousseau.
14:34He's been the liveliest of Sevilla's players so far,
14:38knows the surroundings well.
14:40Liverpool might get the chance to counter here with Diaz.
14:44Salah's joining in on that far side,
14:46he's got Diogo Jota just inside him,
14:48outnumbered and it was a good challenge as well from Tanguy.
14:51Yeah, a really good challenge,
14:53and didn't have a lot of support there in fairness to Diaz,
14:55I was looking at where the midfielders, McAllister,
14:58Both of them were jogging upfield,
15:00you needed one of them to sprint,
15:02at least to make up the numbers for Liverpool,
15:04but it was a good challenge from Tanguy.
15:08Sevilla will just be etched into everybody's memories,
15:11probably for the Europa League win over Liverpool
15:14in the infancy of Jurgen Klopp's tenure.
15:17Alexander-Arnold almost found the feet of Diogo Jota there,
15:21they won the Europa League for the seventh time a year or so,
15:24in Budapest, but Victor Orti,
15:26you might recognise as their sporting director,
15:28spent some time at Leeds,
15:30he's been doing the hiring and firing at the moment,
15:32it was a big summer for them, lots of change.
15:34Yeah, they've always been a big team over in the Spanish League,
15:37normally technically very good,
15:39fit side, as you can see,
15:41at the moment they look quite compact,
15:44but they needed to make sound,
15:46you said they finished 14th in the league last season,
15:48that for a club like Sevilla, that's nowhere near good enough.
15:50Lost 17 of their games,
15:52the 38 that they played.
15:54Crazy, innit?
15:55So 14th last season, 12th the season before,
15:58they had three fourth-place finishes back-to-back,
16:01so it was a real fall-off for them.
16:04Transitional, trying to play their way out,
16:07and they've been caught in a mousetrap there,
16:09almost, Simakas and McAllister couldn't make the most of it,
16:12Suso might be able to though.
16:14Iheanacho was the willing runner.
16:17And just beats his thighs in frustration
16:21that he couldn't take full advantage of that one there.
16:41Liverpool taking their time,
16:43this might be something you have to get used to this season.
16:47Diaz.
16:49It's a good challenge.
16:52Benavidez, who just stays down.
16:56Just a slightly high foot maybe from Diaz.
16:59I think both managers will be reasonably happy with the start,
17:02both the sides are made in the game,
17:04both of them showed a good attitude in the opening 17 minutes so far.
17:12Just when Luis Diaz picked the ball up there,
17:16he needs support, he needs someone to come to him,
17:18so he can play a little wall pass, a little one-two.
17:21He's all on his own, he's isolated,
17:22he's trying to beat three or four players,
17:24when really there should be other players looking to get involved
17:27in the build-up play there.
17:30It's Dumbo Muzambo who just...
17:34halted Liverpool's progress there,
17:36but they will start again.
17:38With Costa-Simakas.
17:41Interesting to hear Ryan Gravenberg talk about how refreshed
17:45just taking a mental break from football can be,
17:47we talk about the physicality before,
17:49he's looking fresh here in the Liverpool midfield,
17:52was halted unfairly.
17:55I think that's what he does really well, Gravenberg,
17:58a little bit higher up the pitch,
17:59because he's got genuine pace,
18:01and he's very strong in possession of the ball
18:03and he can get away from players.
18:06I think Zola just made the challenge on him
18:09to give away the free kick, wasn't it?
18:11Trent Alexander-Arnold, the referee, by the way,
18:13hasn't travelled far, just through the Mersey Tunnel.
18:16Robert Jones, who you'll have seen in the Premier League
18:19from the Wirral, just puts the spray down
18:22and lines up this territory now for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
18:26Do you think he'll shoot from here?
18:29It's a decent chance.
18:32It really is Trent territory.
18:36Left arm goes up, is that a decoy?
18:39Liverpool have been working hard on these set plays,
18:42and we were all wrong.
18:44And he did try the supply, and Sevilla get it clear.
18:47No-one really attacked it though, did they?
18:49I was looking, there was two players in that area of the field,
18:51one of them was Virgil van Dijk,
18:53he floated the ball in but it was Sol who got his head to it.
18:58Lovely ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold,
19:00Salah looking to take on his full-back again,
19:03he endured a torrid time, it was Jota the most likely.
19:06I'll tell you what, I think that's a brilliant ball,
19:08that's put in a really good area from Salah,
19:11I think Jota's got to do more to get across his marker there
19:16to get to the ball first.
19:18But lovely ball to start it off from,
19:20Alexander-Arnold to pick out Salah.
19:25Alexander-Arnold again.
19:27Another decent cross, and it's Diaz this time.
19:31Simicas can't find his way around Benavides,
19:34he's quite happy to see the danger clear.
19:36And he expects a Liverpool corner.
19:48Red arrows here, they're all outside the box,
19:50they all congregate together,
19:52and then as they're about to deliver the ball in,
19:55Alexander-Arnold, you'll see plenty of movement from the Liverpool players,
19:58very difficult to pick up.
20:02Watch this closely, because this has been how Liverpool
20:06have been lining up their corners in their training sessions,
20:11a line of Liverpool red arrows looking to attack this ball now
20:15as they all scatter in formation.
20:18Alexander-Arnold's corner is in, and it caused problems as well,
20:21he's just got his right hand up in front of it,
20:23or Jan Nijlen, the severe goalkeeper.
20:26It wasn't convincing, was it?
20:29Alexander-Arnold.
20:34It's a foul given against Ryan Gravenberg.
20:40The goalkeeper did enough in the end, didn't he,
20:43when the ball was delivered in from the set play,
20:45but it wasn't convincing.
20:57You also might remember that Sergio Ramos didn't stay long
21:00after returning to his boyhood club,
21:02he departed Sevilla in the summer.
21:05Major short of 40 appearances, but he signed out after the last game,
21:09he's headed for the US to tie up his career.
21:13So another big portion of change for Sevilla,
21:15what a dangerous ball that is, and Diaz's eyes will widen by it.
21:23Suso will catch it up.
21:26Liverpool back into the press.
21:28Alexander McAllister, I should say,
21:31just tidies things up for Liverpool.
21:34It's a nice ball as well from Gravenberg,
21:36look at the space Salah has with the control,
21:39and just...
21:40Adrian Pedroza managed to get that danger clear.
21:43Just about, lovely ball from Gravenberg.
21:46He spotted it and played it with his weaker right foot over the top
21:50to pick out Mo Salah.
21:52Every time he's getting in possession of the ball
21:54it looks like he's going to be a threat for Liverpool.
21:56He just needs to hold his width over that right-hand side
21:58and get one-on-one situations against Pedroza,
22:00he's certainly got the beating of him.
22:03Nice ball inside to Sobreslai,
22:05but Sevilla just managed to over-commit there,
22:08and it was a shot on goal.
22:11Collado seeing that Alisson was off his line there,
22:15he was fully 55-60 yards away, wasn't he?
22:19Was he trying to chip him?
22:21Worth a try.
22:22Yeah, but it depends if you've got the power to get the height on it.
22:27But the vision was there from him, that's for sure.
22:30Just the breather for Sevilla,
22:32who have largely chased Liverpool's possession so far.
22:36Yeah, they would have anticipated that as well, Peter,
22:38that they were going to come to Anfield,
22:40and they were going to have it all their own way,
22:42that Liverpool were going to have much more possession.
22:45There's Diaz.
22:47Salah wants the switch.
22:50Alexander-Arnold's on if they play it quickly.
22:54Here he is.
22:56Salah, once again facing up against Pedroza,
22:59and give him a go here to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
23:02It was...
23:03defending.
23:06In last-chance saloon, almost, from Ramon Martínez,
23:10who, backheel, just got it clear.
23:12That's where Mazumba comes back to help out defensively,
23:15he's not a natural defender.
23:18Shot is on from Diaz.
23:21Just over the top.
23:22Yeah, I mean, he was on to take the shot on,
23:24I don't think Mo Salah was too happy that he took the shot at goal from that distance,
23:29and particularly as he was off-balance,
23:31cos it would have been an easier ball to pick out Salah over the right-hand side.
23:35Just here, it didn't look right,
23:37he got plenty of power on it, in fairness to him.
23:41All desperate to get their first goal in pre-season,
23:43it certainly makes the season feel a little bit better.
23:46Did you like that, Ray?
23:47Did you like a goal in pre-season?
23:48I liked them when the season started,
23:50they were much more meaningful, Peter.
23:53Asked for that one.
23:56Simicas.
23:59Just being told as well that the players will get a water break
24:02in about six or seven minutes' time.
24:04Good idea, that, isn't it?
24:08It's not just the water they have to take on,
24:10it's a whole new set of instructions.
24:12He certainly looked at it, didn't he, Alberto Collado?
24:16Yes.
24:22Here he is again.
24:24Zabislaj for company.
24:26Suso catches it up.
24:32Benavidez happy to get inside Liverpool's half,
24:35who's had lots of Luis Diaz-sized problems so far.
24:41Likewise for Prodoza, who's been facing up against Salah.
24:46Liverpool win it back well.
24:47Salah back there, helping out defensively.
24:50Diogo Jota opens those legs of his,
24:52Diaz has joined in as well.
24:54Here's Mo Salah.
24:56Simicas joins the attack.
24:58Here's Zabislaj.
25:01Alexis McAllister.
25:04Simicas.
25:09Slightly miscued from McAllister, but...
25:14Simicas catches it up.
25:16Slowly does it for Liverpool.
25:20They're going to play a lot of games this season,
25:22with the opposition, they're going to sit back,
25:24just like Sevilla have, and get back into shape,
25:26and it'll be up to you to break them down.
25:28This is something the Liverpool players will have to get used to.
25:32You have to be patient, you have to be waiting for an opening,
25:35and then you need people that are going to make the run-in
25:37to the areas that the opposition have left open for you,
25:40and then take advantage of it.
25:43One thing he will say is,
25:44everybody's comfortable on the ball for Liverpool.
25:48And they're all very comfortable in possession of it.
25:50Gravenberg just showing a bit of frustration there,
25:52that he couldn't find Zabislaj, Diaz inside the area.
25:55This might be Sevilla's chance to break.
25:57Not with Alexis McAllister around, no.
26:01Gravenberg wants it central, gets it now.
26:04Look at the triangles again from Liverpool.
26:08Salah.
26:09Natural territory for him!
26:12One inch or two wide of the paint on that far post of Orjan Nyland,
26:16but Liverpool getting closer.
26:17How many times have we seen that angle into the far corner from Mo Salah?
26:22You know what he's going to do, but you can't stop it.
26:24It's just one of those occasions, he's got such ability.
26:27This has come from really good build-up play from Liverpool,
26:30really patient, then you get your opportunity with a strike from Salah,
26:33and he's strike-killing that far corner, wasn't too far away.
26:37There are signs of Mo Salah from maybe the season before last,
26:40or rather in the pre-season so far.
26:43He just looks sharp, he looks fresh, he looks ready.
26:47There were question marks about whether he was going to stay at the club or not,
26:50but he looks happy in himself at the moment.
26:53What will he be thinking at the moment, the Liverpool manager?
26:56Bring on Ipswich.
26:58No, you are!
26:59This is build-up to the important games, which are the league games.
27:04This is where they'll be tested and where he'll be tested as a manager.
27:08No secrets now, as they probably try a few things in pre-season.
27:12There's a live TV audience, there's near full-on field as well
27:17to see these early signs.
27:19All of us will have made our mind up one way or the other
27:21as to how next season will go.
27:24The signs in the US have been very positive.
27:29Now he's relaxed that he's got the full repertoire,
27:31the full available squad back.
27:33I think the only thing the fans might be looking at
27:36is new signings, that might be something to look at
27:38just to maybe freshen things up a little bit.
27:42Offside flag up is against Suso on this right side.
27:46Well, they've had one real big chance in the game, haven't they, Sevilla?
27:50Not a lot in the final third of Liverpool,
27:53not really caused them too many problems,
27:55not seeing them having to defend too often the Liverpool back four.
27:59Liverpool back four.
28:05A bit of cloud cover now at Anfield,
28:06which will come as a welcome break for the Liverpool players
28:09who will pause shortly for the water break.
28:13And some additional instructions from Arne Slott.
28:18It was strange walking into the ground early this morning,
28:20seeing a different car in the manager's car parking space.
28:24Yeah, it's got to take a while to get used to that.
28:29Jürgen did an unbelievable job here as Liverpool manager,
28:33but he's left a fabulous squad to work with,
28:36great ball, he's got that awareness,
28:38and he just sees things quicker than most, Alexander-Arnold.
28:45Nothing too dissimilar from what we've seen
28:47of days gone by from Trent Alexander-Arnold today
28:50in that quarterback role.
28:52And it's effortless, isn't it?
28:54There's no power in it, it's just beautifully struck.
28:59So, set play for Costa-Simacaz.
29:02Again, this is something that Liverpool have worked hard on
29:06in the summer, to be unpredictable, to be different.
29:11And they'd really like a goal from a set play this pre-season,
29:14just before the half-hour point.
29:17Diaz is short, the right arm of Simacaz signals something new
29:22in towards Jota.
29:24It's cleared, only as far as Sabah Sly.
29:28One help back in as well from Trent Alexander-Arnold!
29:31It's an absolute peak from Diogo Jota.
29:37He hit the woodwork in pre-season,
29:39there was almost a feeling he was getting rid of the ring rust,
29:43but there was nothing not to admire about the finish from Diogo Jota there.
29:48Reaching peak temperature just in time.
29:51What a wonderful opening goal.
29:53Wow, wow, wow, what a finish that was.
29:56Absolutely sublime, that's world-class.
30:00I mean, it was effortless, beautiful, if you look at the technique.
30:03Just waited for it.
30:05There's the ball in from Simacaz, not the greatest of headers out.
30:09A little flicked header from Sabah Sly out to Mo Salah.
30:13Alexander-Arnold with the ball, look at that,
30:15that is unbelievable skill.
30:19Beautifully struck by Diogo Jota.
30:22He stood and looked at it as if he was just going to say,
30:24can't do anything about that.
30:26Absolute top quality from Jota.
30:29Outstanding finish.
30:33Looks like a man who does that in training every other day,
30:36I can tell you that he does, he's just got unbelievable technique.
30:40What a wonderful goal.
30:41And it's not only that, it's the confidence to try.
30:43A lot of players would have brought that down,
30:45they wouldn't have been confident enough to hit it first time in the manner he did.
30:48But if you look at the technique, and that's the important factor here,
30:51just watch his body shape and the way he struck it,
30:54he's always looking where it was going.
30:56It's going in that corner, that's what he's aiming for,
30:58he's aiming for that far side of the goal,
31:00and he couldn't have put it any better.
31:02He couldn't have, that was sublime.
31:06We've seen that game where he struck the post,
31:09his first exchanges as a Liverpool player for this brand-new season
31:12against Arsenal, where there was almost a feeling
31:14that he was just over-stretching for it.
31:16Might have had to stretch here, but there was nothing not to love about the technique.
31:20Look at it, if you look at his body, it is just so cool, so calm,
31:25no pressure, he's not rushing, he's not blushing his foot at it,
31:28it is just, I'll wait for it, and then he just strikes through the ball,
31:32he knows exactly where it's going.
31:34And that's the sign of a confident striker,
31:38who has got great belief in his technique and ability.
31:41We all spoke in pre-season, in the pubs, on the TV,
31:46whatever it was we were talking about,
31:48it's important to keeping that fella fit and ready.
31:50Oh, huge, absolutely huge.
31:52But when you look at what Liverpool have got
31:54when it comes to creators of goals and goal-scorers,
31:57there's enough there, there's plenty there,
31:59but you've got to keep them fit and healthy through the season,
32:01keep that competition for places.
32:03If you've got the shirt, keep it, and the way you're going to keep it
32:06is playing well and scoring and creating,
32:08and being a real player in the team,
32:10and that's what I think you get with Jota.
32:12How easy is that to loop over the bar?
32:15How easy is that to hit the corner flag?
32:17I'll tell you.
32:18There's plenty I've played with and myself who have done that,
32:21but I've got great belief in Jota,
32:23since I've seen him when he was a young kid at Wolves,
32:26I always spoke about him in glowing terms,
32:28and the quality that he had, and it was evident there.
32:30That was a brilliant finish.
32:32So a restart from the centre circle,
32:34a restart from the water break,
32:36you also got a little bit of a glimpse there of Sipke Hulshoff,
32:40who's the assistant manager to Arnaut Slot,
32:43he's the former Dutch team assistant manager as well,
32:46he's been at the very forefront of all things pre-season,
32:49on the grass, and we hear this quite a lot now
32:53in the modern coaching manuals, don't we?
32:55But so intricate and so into the analysis,
32:59they're watching analysis of training sessions,
33:01the new Liverpool manager's got his laptop out as well,
33:04he's a very young manager at 45, so used to doing their own analysis.
33:07What I've seen in the half-time against Arsenal over in America,
33:12and the work they were doing at half-time,
33:15that's something a bit newer than I've seen before,
33:19obviously a lot of thought's gone into getting players really fit and ready
33:23for when they're actually asked to go out onto the field of play.
33:27And it's worked really well, even in the warm-up,
33:29I've seen them doing some different finishing routines,
33:32little sprints after you've had your shot at goal.
33:36That was a common sight as well in pre-season,
33:38Sevilla slightly interested inside Liverpool's penalty area there,
33:42as they go down the bench and they're barking at players' numbers,
33:45which is 70 minutes you're coming on, 75 minutes you're on,
33:48it's all intricately planned, as will be the second game by the way,
33:52which will take place without an audience,
33:54but you'll see it live here on LFCTV,
33:56stick with us for your entirety this Sunday afternoon.
33:59That's another important game, because a lot of players will be playing tonight
34:02who need some minutes on the pitch as well,
34:04and their opportunity to show the manager what they're about
34:07and what their fitness level is like,
34:09and ask him some questions about competition for places.
34:12Of course, McAllister's played really well at the minute,
34:15he looks fit, he's not been back in training that long,
34:19but he looks sharp at the moment.
34:23Good attempt at a turn from...
34:25Oh, no, that's not a foul.
34:29Calado bought it, I think.
34:31Calado knew what he was doing there, he threw himself to the ground.
34:34I thought Diaz was just a little bit too strong for him, personally.
34:38He's like, what have I done wrong?
34:40Arnold Slott making that very point to Robert Jones,
34:43but he's making the point that you can't do that in the Premier League.
34:46There's very little you can do now in the Premier League, in truth.
34:49Where contact is concerned.
34:52But he'd be happy, last remaining ten minutes of this first half,
34:56some defending for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ryan Gravenberg to do here.
35:00And they do that like they're almost on the five-a-side pitch.
35:04Kwanzaa and Alexander-Arnold.
35:09Zambo.
35:11Cleared this time by Kwanzaa.
35:13GARY GILLESPIE I just saw a couple of occasions where he's got sharpened up a little bit,
35:17the ball's coming into him and he's caught on his heels rather than being ready for it.
35:21He's just waiting for things to happen, and he's been caught out on two or three occasions.
35:27Something to note down for the half-time team talk.
35:31You'll notice he disappears straight away at half-time,
35:34and also at full-time to look at the clips before the team talks.
35:39Zambo is over the corner.
35:42Plenty committed forward for Sevilla.
35:45First one that Liverpool face, how do they defend it?
35:48It's a header that does come in.
35:51From Tanguy.
35:53Tanguy was the one there, wasn't he?
35:55He should have done a bit better, you know,
35:57because he wasn't under a lot of pressure when the ball was delivered in here.
36:00You can see it was an out-swinger, right-footed ball delivered in,
36:04but there he got in front of his man but couldn't redirect it on target.
36:12How cool is that?
36:13See, I like that, though, because Gravenberg was ready for it.
36:17He wanted the ball played in from Alisson.
36:19He didn't sit there and wait.
36:21He was on the front foot, and he knew where his next pass was going,
36:24which is usually important.
36:27Also getting a first sight, the new Liverpool bosses,
36:30almost having a No. 6 wearing the No. 1 shirt,
36:33and you go so comfortable with the ball.
36:37This perhaps is where his plans and preparation for the new season
36:41really take on a whole new temperature.
36:45He's just joining us.
36:47Welcome to the live coverage of Liverpool's final two friendlies,
36:51the first one with a crowd, the second one behind closed doors.
36:54You've missed the best goal from pre-season so far from Diogo Jota.
36:59A little chip ball in from Trent Alexander-Arnold,
37:01he met it on the full left-footed into the corner of Nyland's goal,
37:05there was no goalkeeper in the world that would have saved it.
37:08Liverpool have been equal to anything they've faced defensively.
37:14Passed that awesome Trent Alexander-Arnold again on the full.
37:17Wonderful move from Liverpool, and Mo Salah has the pace to catch it up,
37:21is he gonna go on his own? He tried to.
37:24Diogo Jota cuts the figure of someone disappointed,
37:27he never got a tap in there.
37:29Well, they've got the length of the field,
37:31Liverpool have only played some wonderful one- and two-touch football,
37:34but more will be disappointed if you didn't do a little bit more.
37:37I think the keeper, you've got to give him a bit of credit,
37:40to pass the ball across the six-yard box,
37:43try to pick out Jota.
37:45And time Guy Dunwell to get back to clear the danger for Sevilla.
37:50But lightning speed from Liverpool, wasn't it?
37:55Salah looked like he had no right to catch it up in the first place,
37:58but he was always going to.
38:00Here is Simicas on that far side now, to take the corner.
38:06In towards that ruck of players, it's Nyland who has to come again.
38:09McAllister nicked it, but so did Suso.
38:12He won't have the pace to go around, Sobheslai, though.
38:15He done well in the end there, Sobheslai.
38:17Maybe he should have won the first challenge,
38:19allowed Suso to get beyond him, but such is his pace in recovery.
38:23Suso not got the pace to get away from him,
38:25came back to win the second challenge.
38:29Just out of your picture, Diogo Jota looking to the skies,
38:32he thought he was gonna get his second goal of this impressive first half.
38:36Well, I think Moore was caught in two minds,
38:38whether to go round the keeper or his own,
38:40but because the keeper came out so quickly, he was right on top of him,
38:43so it forced him to try and thread the ball through for Jota.
38:48But wonderful play from Luis Diaz as well,
38:51the vision, the awareness and the pass they played over to the right-hand side.
38:54It took the keeper out of the game, because the keeper thinks,
38:57if I come and I don't get there, I might have to bring him down,
39:00and I'm in all sorts of trouble.
39:02Liverpool allowed to play on through Jota,
39:05Diaz's shot, same corner, same result.
39:08A wonderful, wonderful Liverpool goal to make it two.
39:14Quality.
39:16Plethora of quality.
39:19And Liverpool quite deservingly through a player that is just short of 100 Liverpool appearances
39:24with a third full season ahead of him now, looking to make headlines,
39:29and it's a truly brilliant Liverpool goal.
39:31Yeah, absolutely.
39:32I think the handball came from Tanguy rather than Jota,
39:37but I've got to tell you, when you're a right-back
39:40and you're playing a lad playing on the left and he's right-footed,
39:43you've got to show him the line.
39:44Benavides has got to learn, you've got to show him down the line.
39:47You can't allow him to come in the manner that he did,
39:50just sidestepped and feinted to go to his left, brought on his right foot,
39:54but what a finish.
39:56Absolute top quality once again.
39:58Nestled in that top corner, gave the goalkeeper Nyland no chance whatsoever.
40:02And it's probably in keeping with the game that Liverpool have got a two-goal advantage.
40:09Well, in truth, both full-backs of Sevilla have almost done a double-shift already,
40:13and probably no coincidence that the almost full 11 of substitutes of Sevilla
40:19start to warm up now.
40:20You imagine perhaps two new full-backs for this second half,
40:23if Diaz and Salah are to stay where they are.
40:28The signs are very positive.
40:30You can see the threat there, Pete, because what happened with Benavides,
40:32he actually backed off.
40:34Liverpool on the build again, and it was Alexander-Arnold's cross in,
40:37anything in front of it, Pedroza.
40:39He's done his left calf, he's not moving freely there.
40:43Just his hand went back to his left calf there, Alexander-Arnold,
40:47when he played that ball in, maybe a slight concern.
40:50Keep an eye on that one, because Liverpool and their medical staff
40:54are not looking overly concerned about that at the moment.
40:57They do have a young bench here, Liverpool, which we'll talk about in a second or so.
41:02Let's see how Alexander-Arnold gets on here with some defending.
41:05Inside to Pedroza, who's managed to get forward,
41:07and it was Iheancho the other side, and Virgil van Dijk, he needed that clearance.
41:11He's still down, he's down there at the moment,
41:13he's not moving freely, Alexander-Arnold...
41:17He'll kick Liverpool's way, it will give the chance for Alexander-Arnold
41:20to just alert the bench that he's got an issue down on his haunches at the moment.
41:24Well, a couple of Liverpool players down, Diaz is down at the moment,
41:27after that challenge from Benavides, and Alexander-Arnold's not moving freely.
41:32He's put his hand, he's motioned, he's all right,
41:35but I'm worried it was his calf.
41:38Let's hope it was a kick, right?
41:40Yeah, well, it was only when he played the ball in over that far side,
41:43and you can see Benavides is not allowing Diaz to get past him this time.
41:48I mean, taken out and quite rightly got the yellow card for his troubles,
41:51but I'd be surprised if Alexander-Arnold comes out for the second half,
41:55he doesn't look right there.
41:59Seems to have indicated he's OK, but...
42:02He's not moving, is he, freely there?
42:07Liverpool won't take a risk, and they don't have a plethora of options,
42:12let's just stay with this attack for the moment with Luis Diaz,
42:15support from Jota.
42:18Step-overs, around the corner goes Jota,
42:21and Sevilla will gratefully get this one clear.
42:25Gravenberg's pass into Sobheslai, what a clever ball that is,
42:29just couldn't catch it up Mo Salah.
42:31Well, the good news is Alexander-Arnold is OK at the minute.
42:34I think the bench will be happy enough to see he's moving a little easier
42:39than he was a few moments ago.
42:43Well, they do have a young bench,
42:45and one of the substitutes is warming up,
42:48and that's young Lucas Stevenson, who spent last year on loan with Barrow.
42:53It's a ball into Jota again, just can't get it on the stretch.
42:56I tell you what, that's only over-hit ever so slightly from Salah,
43:00and once again Jota's free inside the 18-yard box,
43:03no-one's picking them up.
43:08Brilliant from McAllister.
43:10Slight tug on the shirt of his counterpart.
43:13Yeah, that's really good from McAllister,
43:15we're talking about his fitness levels,
43:17how high up the pitch he is, putting the Sevilla players under pressure.
43:24Sobheslai is in quickly to try and pick the pocket of Martinez.
43:38Kwanzaa.
43:44How do you read that position, Ray?
43:47The skipper would always be favoured to start,
43:49even with a late pre-season, but is Kwanzaa in the box seat to start next week?
43:52Yeah, I think he is personally.
43:55I don't see anything he's really done right,
43:57he made one mistake earlier on, but when you're young
44:01you make a mistake like that.
44:03But overall I'm really impressed with him,
44:05I think his positional play is good,
44:07he's rigged into the game as we see there,
44:09once again he's in the right position.
44:11He's very assured, very calm,
44:14and he's been playing for years and years and years,
44:17that's the biggest compliment I can pay him at the moment.
44:22It will be a free kick to Sevilla,
44:24one by Adria Pedrosa.
44:29Suso is over there with Zambo.
44:38So some defending to do just before the break,
44:40doesn't sense there'll be an awful lot of time added on at the...
44:44They're not the biggest Liverpool, are they?
44:46When you look at McAllister, Diaz, Alexander-Arnold, Simicas.
44:55Suso with the delivery, it's flat and it's only as far as Diaz,
44:59and the shot eventually coming in.
45:01Not quite Jotaro-esque, where was it from?
45:06On the volley.
45:09Never travelled Alisson in the goal.
45:11It was a poor free kick from Suso, really poor.
45:15What do you make of this, Ray?
45:17This is how they start play from the goal kick.
45:19Yeah, where's the centre-halves?
45:22That's how footballs change, where's the centre-halves?
45:24They all push forward, and that leaves spaces like this.
45:27And that was the plan, and away and running is Sobheslai,
45:31and it's a little buffet ball for Luis Diaz.
45:34Go and help yourself.
45:36All started from Alisson Becker, two goals for Luis Diaz,
45:40and a first half of dreams for Liverpool
45:43as they stare down the start of a new Premier League season.
45:47All the signs are super positive.
45:49Yeah, well, there's a piece of Sobheslai getting in behind, absolutely brilliant.
45:53Then they win, it's just a play-the-ball across the 18-yard box for Diaz to finish on.
45:58I've got to tell you, the assistant couldn't tell if he was offside or not,
46:01he was 20 yards behind the play, watch him.
46:03He couldn't keep up with him, look at that.
46:06As he races past the back line of Sevilla,
46:09it all comes from this, hold-up play, lovely ball played in behind,
46:14now it's a foot race, he's much quicker than the rest of the players,
46:18and then the awareness and the vision just to pick out that square ball for Diaz
46:23to pass it into the back of the net to give Liverpool a 3-0 lead in the first half.
46:28Excellent all-round play from Liverpool.
46:30I love to see that from midfield players, Ray.
46:33The temptation to have a shot yourself, he probably would have scored,
46:36to play in a striker and say, go and get your tally under way.
46:39Not only that, it's seeing players in a better position than yourself,
46:42that's the art of good players passing at the right time,
46:46and you've just seen that there from Sobheslai.
46:48I don't like the way Sevilla, when their centre-halves were all over the place,
46:52because I don't get it, just sit as a back four.
46:55You can't always go and win the ball, but at least you can stay in your positions,
46:59and as soon as you've done that, it opened up for Liverpool to get runners in behind.
47:07You would presume as well from the closing stages of this first half
47:11that the aim would be to try and get as many of these players up to 70 minutes as possible.
47:15They've got two goalkeepers on the bench for this game,
47:18Joe Gomez, Stefan Bajcic, Shamara Nallo is a young centre-back,
47:22Tyler Morton, Harvey Blair, Lucas Stephens,
47:26Maybe a last chance for Sevilla from Liverpool there.
47:31And that's the end of a first half that Liverpool will be very, very happy with,
47:36as will their head coach.
47:38A goal from Diogo Jota that really capped a fine pre-season,
47:42the pick of all the goals Liverpool have scored so far today,
47:46and right across the summer so far.
47:48Luis Diaz, who's not long returned, that wide left,
47:52smashed it into the same corner that Diogo Jota found with the first,
47:56and then it was just great interplay, it all started from the Liverpool goalkeeper.