Liverpool went into their final Champions League group stage game against PSV Eindhoven knowing a point was enough to finish top of the table ahead of Barcelona – and in the end, they didn’t even need that.
Arne Slot had stated ahead of the encounter that there was no real advantage in finishing first rather than second. And save for monetary gain he was correct, with each win in the league phase worth around £1.7m, a draw about £587,000, and each position in the table around £230,000.
The Dutch manager also clearly had one eye on travelling to face in-form Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, as he took the decision to leave nine first-team players at home, including Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz.
With Darwin Nunez also ruled out through illness, Liverpool fielded a team full of squad players and youth prospects out in the Netherlands. And while some took the opportunity to impress, others failed to do so, with Liverpool falling to a 3-2 defeat yet finishing top of the table, thanks to Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Atalanta. Here’s what Slot learned back in his home country.
Enrico Chiesa can be a game changer
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Liverpool fans have been desperate to see Federico Chiesa get a start for the Reds, given the Italy international’s former status as one of the world’s top forwards, before injury derailed his career. But following his cut price £10m move from Juventus last summer, the 27-year-old’s opportunities have been few and far between.
However, in the brief time he has been on the pitch, Chiesa always seems to make something happen, whether it’s scoring or assisting, getting off a shot or striking the woodwork. And he was frequently involved in Liverpool’s best moments in Eindhoven.
Chiesa’s quick thinking when Eindhoven dithered in the box saw him clumsily brought down by Joey Veerman, before Cody Gakpo converted the penalty to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. And his shot from distance was spilled by goalkeeper Walter Benitez for Harvey Elliott to tuck away the loose ball and briefly make it 2-1.
Chiesa can be a game changer for the Reds in the second half of this season if – and it’s a big ‘if’ – he stays fit. But the 90 minutes he put in here and the fact he was still pushing for an equaliser late on was hugely encouraging.
Makeshift defence not a winning combination
Slot selected a back five of Caoimhin Kelleher, Kostas Tsimikas, Jarrell Quansah, Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley. It’s a defence that had never played together before and is unlikely to ever do so again.
The Reds had only conceded twice in the competition until tonight, but did so three times in the first half. Neither Quansah or the out-of-position Robertson covered themselves in glory when Ricardo Pepi chested down a ball to Yohan Bakayoko, who turned them inside out and finished beyond Kelleher for the first.
Next Wataru Endo lost possession in midfield to Veerman, who played in Ismael Saibari, who powered home at the near post, with Bradley unable to get back to cover. And things got worse for Bradley when he struggled to contain Pepi, who shot into the opposite corner, deflecting off the Northern Ireland international on the way.
However, his bad night didn’t compare to that of youngster Amara Nallo, who came off the bench and was then sent off after only six minutes. The 18-year-old central defender was the last man when he brought down an Eindhoven attacker and received a red card upheld after a VAR check. An unfortunate debut, to say the least.
Harvey Elliott seizes his moment
Harvey Elliot is another player like Chiesa who has faced a spell on the sidelines this season because of injury and then struggled to win playing time once fit. The 21-year-old has even been linked with a move away from Anfield, but was keen to put any such talk to bed after his winning effort against Lille in the Reds’ last European tie.
The diminutive England international is a hugely talented player, but Slot appears to share the doubts some fans have regarding whether he has the physical attributes to play in midfield in the Premier League at this stage of his development, especially given the athletic abilities of Szoboszlai – who currently fills the number 10 role. Unsurprisingly, Elliott doesn’t get many chances to fill in for Salah on the right wing!
However, the fleet-footed star proved to be a very effective substitute last season under Jurgen Klopp and has done his chances of gaining a similar role this season no harm with recent cameos, including this evening. He pounced quickly and finished well to temporarily restore Liverpool’s lead and, while some of his passing was erratic on what looked to be a pitch in poor condition, he is a player who Slot will know can make something happen off the bench.