Key events
Slot continues: “We have lost many players and brought in many … even yesterday we brought in one who is not available yet … we have lost a few very good players … the ones we brought in are special as well … in general [in pre-season] we don’t concede more chances, but the ones we do concede have led to goals.”
Arne Slot speaks to Sky Sports, and first addresses the impact on the squad of this tragic summer. “The players are far better than I expected five or six weeks ago … in that moment in time, you feel will it ever be possible to play again? … but they have conducted themselves so, so, so well … on both sides they were great, as a human being, but they also understood they have to be professional football players again … so we had to work hard, and that’s what we started doing.”
Liverpool name four Premier League debutants this evening. Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez all start, as they did at Wembley against Crystal Palace last weekend in the Community Shield.
Bournemouth aren’t far behind them in that regard. They’ve got three new players in their line-up tonight: goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović, left-back Adrien Truffert and central defender Bafodé Diakité all make their competitive debuts for the Cherries.
The teams
Liverpool: Alisson, Frimpong, Con heart, van Dijk, Kerkez, the Mac Allister, Szoboszla, Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitic.
Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Smith, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert, Adams, Scott, Brooks, Tavernier, Semenyo, Evanilson.
SUBS: Denies, Andpejo, solem, junior warrouc, Hill, Holling, Billingburn, Winterbur, travel-dottin.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Diogo Jota is pictured on the cover of this evening’s match programme. Arne Slot pays tribute to Liverpool’s No20 and his brother André Silva in his notes, which confirm that Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso, his children and family will be at Anfield this evening. There will be a moment of silence before kick-off, the players will wear black armbands, and Liverpool will wear a Forever 20 emblem on their shirts and jackets.
We know that this will be a very emotional occasion, given it is the first league game we have played since we lost Diogo and André. As I have said previously, the tributes that have been paid throughout the football world, and especially within the LFC community, have been truly special, and I know that tonight we will come together to honour them once more.
I believe that Diogo’s wife, his children and his family will be in attendance and it is important that, as a club, we show that they will always have our love and support as they deal with this most tragic of situations. We are there for them always.”
Preamble
Almost exactly one year ago – 363 days, to be precise – Liverpool found themselves struggling during their season opener at Portman Road. Newly promoted Ipswich Town had been the better team in the first half, and with nearly an hour on the clock, the score remained goalless. But then Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in from the right, finding his team-mate who …
… flashed a header wide from six yards, when it was surely easier to score. Ah well.
No matter, though! That team-mate, an indefatigable bundle of joyous energy, selfless commitment, Fowleresque skill, and straight-up funwasn’t to be disheartened. He simply came at Ipswich again, 60 seconds later, entering the box to meet a Mohamed Salah pass by calmly and adroitly whipping a firm sidefoot into the corner. The first goal of the Arne Slot era, a crucial momentum-shifter, and the first step towards Premier League glory. Diogo Jota took Liverpool to victory. Better than Figo, don’t you know?
A year is a long time by any reasonable measure, but with another season opener upon us, all of that feels particularly distant now. Anfield, staging its first competitive fixture since the tragic passing of Diogo and his brother André Silva, will remember, grieve and celebrate those beautiful, beloved boys tonight with a special Kop mosaic in their honour. Then a game of football will take place. Kick-off will be at 8pm UK time, and Jota is forever Liverpool’s number 20.
