Liverpool Beat Arsenal in Philadelphia: Salah and Carvalho Score in Thrilling Preseason Friendly
Late Thursday night in Philadelphia, Liverpool continued their solid preseason with an impressive 2-1 win over a near full-strength Arsenal side.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho netted the goals for the Reds as Arne Slot will be happy with a lot of what he saw from this match, in particular the first half.
However, with so many subs taking place since it was just a friendly, let's take a look at how the Liverpool starters rated in the nice friendly win.
Liverpool Player Ratings
Caoimhin Kelleher - 6/10 The Republic of Ireland international did not have a lot of work in this one but he made a few good saves from tight-angles. The Arsenal goal was slightly weak, but I put that more on the defense than Kelleher.
Conor Bradley - 6.5/10 Liverpool's ascending young right-back did not have as great of a night as he did in the first friendly against Real Betis, but he was still very involved in a lot of things defensively and going forward. Showing no signs of slowing in his development.
Jarell Quansah - 7/10 Quansah was his calm and influential self once again in the center of defense in this one. He made a brilliant sliding interception to stop a likely Gunners goal which was fantastic to watch. What a player he is still becoming.
Sepp van den Berg - 6/10 The Dutchman was largely invisible at times in this one as his signature pace was not required on the night. He has not done a lot yet this preseason but he also hasn't fallen either.
Kostas Tsimikas - 6/10 The Greek international was alright in this one as he tried his best to get forward when the chance came. However, his service was not the best which has become the norm for him in recent times.
Curtis Jones - 6.5/10 Jones played just ahead of the defense in this one and he moved the ball along well-enough but did not have a true standout moment at any point.
Fabio Carvalho - 7/10 This was a much improved outing from Carvalho and he needed a performance like this. He scored on a sweet first time volley which showcased his technical skills. He was lively when he got on the ball.
Dominik Szoboszlai - 6//10 Dom wasn't able to dominate the attack in this one as that role was taken over by others. He tried to be as progressive as he could when on the ball but it just seemed a bit off. Preseason rust I'm sure.
Harvey Elliott - 8.5/10 Elliott made a strong case to be in true contention for Slot's No. 10 role. His wonderfully weighted through ball set up the opener and he followed it with a super chip pass over the defense for his second assist. Playing at a high level already which is a good sign.
Mohamed Salah - 7.5/10 This was another rock solid outing from Salah following his assist against Betis. His pace was on full display as he cooked the Arsenal defense before his typical composure in front of goal was back with his cool finish. More of this please.
Diogo Jota - 6/10 Jota could have had a much higher grade in this one but he hit the post with one chance and skied another clear opportunity later on. However, he put himself in good spots which is half the battle. Expect him to finish those going forward.
Arsenal's Performance and Their Future
These days, all kinds of international soccer teams come to the United States, but the games don’t always match what you see on TV.
That big-time star fans paid hundreds of dollars for an upper-deck seat to see? He only played a half, if that, on a squad of half-regulars, backups, and prospects.
Havertz’s performance is particularly intriguing in the light of Arsenal’s ongoing interest in Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino. Like Havertz, 28-year-old Merino is a tall, athletic, left-footed midfielder with the potential to play a true box-to-box role.
Havertz’s display against Liverpool suggested there is life in the midfield experiment yet. But perhaps Arteta sees a player of a comparable profile to Havertz in Merino, who would allow the manager to keep the German upfront.
The New Season: Looking Ahead
At the end of last season, it seemed so. Havertz displaced Gabriel Jesus as the team’s first-choice striker. But with Jesus coming back looking fit and sharp, and Declan Rice still absent after the European Championship, Havertz was restored to a midfield role for this friendly.
The atmosphere was festive on a hot night in South Philly. Liverpool fans enjoyed a pregame rendition of their club’s anthem, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” with its soccer version recorded by Liverpudlian band Gerry and the Pacemakers in the 1960s.
Arsenal fans had their own chants, too, and a section of big flag wavers in the north end of the Linc’s stands. But Liverpool’s early lead denied them the chance to sing their most famous song, “One-Nil to the Arsenal,” to the tune of the Village People’s “Go West.”
There were even a few Union jerseys scattered around the stands, though they were mostly lost in a sea of the red that both teams wear. And yes, for the record, a fan not far from the press box started an “E-A-G-L-E-S” chant late in the game, though it didn’t get much traction.
Conclusion: Preseason Wins Don't Guarantee Success
While this friendly game was a good test for both teams, it’s crucial to remember that preseason results don't always reflect the true form of a team. This is particularly true for Arsenal, who have a new manager in Mikel Arteta and several key players who are still getting up to speed. The real test will come when the Premier League season kicks off in just a few weeks.
