Florian Wirtz, although not in a competitive setting, made his debut for Liverpool in a 5-0 victory against Stoke City during the Reds’ pre-season training – and the quick-footed German’s position in the starting lineup may raise concerns for one of his new teammates.
In the friendly match held behind closed doors, which took place at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby on Saturday afternoon, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez stood out by scoring a hat-trick before the half-time break. Additionally, Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa also found the back of the net.
All eyes were on Wirtz, who donned the Liverpool strip for the first time since his big-money, high-profile move from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer. Given how much Arne Slot and his entourage splashed on his signature, the expectations are lofty.
As anticipated, the Germany international functioned as Slot’s sole number 10, with Ngumoha, aged 16, positioned on the left wing. Mohamed Salah occupied the right side, while Nunez, who appeared particularly sharp, was entrusted with leading the attack. Supporting them were Curtis Jones and the young Trey Nyoni.
Nevertheless, Wirtz’s entry into the match under manager Slot could create complications for Dominik Szoboszlai, who, as reported by The Liverpool Echo, played in the right-back position against Stoke. Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk were positioned centrally, while Andy Robertson played on the left.
Behind the defensive line was the new goalkeeper Giorgio Mamardashvili, but the true surprise lies in Szoboszlai’s unconventional role, one that was recently vacated by the exit of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Szoboszlai, who had a quietly impressive season as Slot became the fifth manager to secure the Premier League title on his first attempt, joined the club during Jurgen Klopp’s management from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023. Since then, the 24-year-old has made 94 appearances for the Merseysiders across all competitions.
As expected, the German international served as Slot’s only number 10, with 16-year-old Ngumoha positioned on the left wing. Mohamed Salah took the right flank, while Nunez, who appeared particularly sharp, was tasked with leading the attack. Providing support were Curtis Jones and the young Trey Nyoni.
However, Wirtz’s introduction into the match under manager Slot could pose challenges for Dominik Szoboszlai, who, as reported by The Liverpool Echo, played in the right-back position against Stoke.
Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk were centrally positioned, while Andy Robertson occupied the left side. Behind the defensive line was the new goalkeeper Giorgio Mamardashvili, but the real surprise lies in Szoboszlai’s unconventional role, one that was recently vacated by the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Szoboszlai, who had a quietly impressive season as Slot became the fifth manager to win the Premier League title on his first attempt, joined the club during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023. Since then, the 24-year-old has made 94 appearances for the Merseysiders across all competitions.
The question of where Szoboszlai will play following Wirtz’s arrival, given that they excel in the same position, has been a significant point of discussion as Slot enters his second season in charge.
Moving forward, there is a possibility that the former could drop back and revert to a box-to-box role, but against teams that employ low blocks, the option for them to coexist and function as a pair of No.10s is also available to Slot.
While the Dutch tactician and his staff contemplate the best way to utilize both stars, his squad will depart for Asia on Sunday evening for pre-season preparations as they get ready to face AC Milan next Saturday in Hong Kong. They will subsequently travel to Japan.
This will mark the Reds’ first return to Japan since Rafael Benitez’s team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sao Paulo in the 2005 Club World Championship final. They are set to compete against Yokohama F. Marinos at the 72,000-capacity Nissan Stadium at the end of