Liverpool wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 win against SV Darmstadt 98 at Deepdale Stadium. Within just ten minutes, Jurgen Klopp’s men asserted their dominance, with Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota putting the Reds ahead.
The opening goal arrived swiftly, courtesy of a Dominik Szoboszlai corner that saw the ball being inadvertently flicked by Luiz Diaz via Virgil van Dijk, setting up Salah for a tap-in. Salah soon turned provider, capitalising on a Christoph Zimmermann error to set up Jota, who easily increased Liverpool’s lead.
Darmstadt, making their Bundesliga debut after a six-year absence, equalised immediately after through Mathias Honsak, who broke past Liverpool’s high defensive line and beat goalkeeper Alisson.
Despite Darmstadt’s fleeting hopes of levelling the score, Liverpool regained control in the second half. Diaz stole the spotlight with an audacious backheel flick from another Szoboszlai corner to seal the win for the Reds.
Deepdale Stands Witness to Liverpool’s Prowess and Promising Talents
Held at Deepdale due to ongoing construction at Anfield, the match attracted a full house. From the polished finishes of their seasoned attackers to the promising efforts of their newer signings, the Liverpool supporters had something to rejoice about.
Jurgen Klopp made an intriguing tactical decision by deploying Alexis Mac Allister in a deep midfield role. The Argentine impressed with his control and adaptability, indicating that he might be a key player in Liverpool’s plans for the coming season.Klopp praised Mac Allister, stating, “For his first time in that position for us, he did really well. He’s a top-class player, both with and without the ball.” The Liverpool manager also discussed his team’s physical fitness and the importance of fine-tuning ideas for their next match against Chelsea.Another standout performance came from Dominik Szoboszlai, who was instrumental in Liverpool’s set-piece success, hinting at Klopp’s possible tactical strategy versus Chelsea.
Despite Liverpool’s dominance, questions were raised regarding their high defensive line strategy, particularly after Honsak managed to exploit it. Klopp admitted the flaw but was optimistic about his team’s progress.
Ben Doak’s appearance from the bench was another plus, with the youngster showing signs of promise. Darwin Nunez almost added a fourth goal for Liverpool in the final stages, but his effort was miraculously saved, and Joe Gomez’s follow-up was cleared off the line
Next steps
Liverpool fans will be encouraged by their team’s pre-season progress as they prepare for the 2023-24 Premier League season. Their first important test will be against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Reds will be confident in their quest of Premier League gold, with their attack looking potent and several players establishing their claim.
