Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Liverpool showed incisive passing and sharp finishing skills en route to a comfortable win. Luis Diaz paced the squad with a brace, with Diogo Jota and Trey Nyoni also finding the back of the net at Anfield.

Liverpool 4 - Sevilla 1

Liverpool: Jota 30’; Diaz 39’, 45+1’, Nyoni 67’

Sevilla: Fernandez 66’

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Pre-Match

Arne Slot gets one (sort of) last shot to get his squad prepared for the opening fixture of the Premier League next season. The Reds are seemingly playing split squads between two matches today at Anfield against Sevilla and Las Palmas. It’s a very strong line up for Liverpool in the first of the two tune up matches, with Alisson going back between the sticks despite just returning to training a couple of days ago. Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Luis Diaz will get their first match minutes under Slot.

It’s close to a full house in Anfield for the match, and the atmosphere is fantastic. Arne Slot drinks in his first experience of hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone ring out around the ground.

First Half

Mohamed Salah is getting involved down the right side and looking lively in the early going. He gets the ball high and wide up the pitch before cutting in and playing a ball in to Dominik Szoboslzai at the top of the box, but the midfielder can’t get his feet sorted. Salah is released down the right wing into space a couple of times over the next few minutes after some nice link up play from deep. In both instances Mo does well to carry into space before looking to find a striker in the box, but both times the defense is just able to cut the ball out before a shot can be taken.

Liverpool looking quick and tidy with the ball in possession through the early stages. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are playing in a double pivot, with Gravenberch staying nominally deeper. Gravenberch in particular has done well to serve as an outlet to relieve pressure and keep the ball ticking over.

Yikes, Sevilla should be up after a terrible error in the back. Jarell Quansah is loose with the ball coming out of his own box and it is picked off by Idumbo Muzambo. The Sevilla attacker is in on goal quickly with only Alisson to beat, but his shot balloons well over the bar to the relief of Liverpool.

Trent Alexander-Arnold gets involved for the first time. He plays two nice passes into dangerous areas, with the second a dangerous cross that forces a corner kick. Tent takes the corner and whips the ball in, curving and dropping just under the crossbar. Nyland is forced to punch clear to keep the ball out.

Salah and Trent are combining well down the right side. Any time Mo peels out wide to receive the ball, Trent underlaps to receive a quick pass into the channel.

Almost a classic curler from Salah! Liverpool do well to work the ball around from left to right before finding Mo on the right edge of the box. The Egyptian striker cuts inside past one defender before unleashing a powerful shot, but it whistles just past the far post.

GOAL LIVERPOOL!!! Wow, what an opener. Liverpool have a free kick from the left side that is partially cleared. Liverpool recover the ball and work it from Mohamed Salah to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Scouser lofts a curling cross into the box and Diogo Jota hits the ball left-footed on the full volley, ripping a shot past the keeper and just inside the far post!

Liverpool definitely have a clear style of play under Slot, but are showing they still have some work to do to get fully comfortable with the system. The Reds are turning the ball over in dangerous areas at times as they try to play their way out of the back. There always seems to be someone on hand to clean up the mess, however.

Oooh, almost a lightning counter for the Reds! A quick clearance to Luis Diaz deep in his own half sees the Colombian cut inside and play a ball forward for Salah into space. The Egyptian races forward with no one in front of him, with Jota sprinting forward in support. Salah advances on the keeper but just is unable to lift the ball over him.

GOAL DIAZ! Liverpool again with some incisive passing get the ball to Luis Diaz in the left channel. He cuts inside past one defender and then unleashes a rocket the flies into the roof of the net! You could say he thwacked that one.

Bit of an injury worry for Trent Alexander-Arnold. He seems to be limping a bit but signals to the sideline he is ok. Something to keep an eye on.

GOAL LIVERPOOL! An absolute team goal, starting all the way back with Alisson in goal. Mo knocks the ball down for Alexis Mac Allister to play a quick ball forward to Dominik Szoboslai. The Hungarian races forward with the ball, out pacing his defender. He draws the goalkeeper out as he enters the box and unselfishly squares the ball to Diaz to top into an open net!

That’s the last real action in the first half as the referee blows for the intermission with a 3-0 score line in favor of the Reds. Still some work to do to get the press dialed in and clean up some of the turnovers, but all in all a very solid performance thus far.

Second Half

Back underway for the second half and no changes for Arne Slot’s side. With a fairly young bench, expect most of the starters to play most of the match as they build towards the opening Premier League match with Ipswich next weekend.

Liverpool with some scintillating moves that are just missing the final touch or pass in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah are both seemingly everywhere with Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch also getting heavily involved.

Liverpool continue to put together a mixture of sweeping attacks as well as patient build up play with good ball retention. The Reds earn a corner on the right side after one such move that Kostas Tsimikas sends into the box. The ball finds the head of Virgil van Dijk, but the Liverpool captain can’t get enough power on the header and it is collected by the goalkeeper.

Alisson Becker is the first player to be withdrawn from the match in the 62nd minute. Luis Diaz also comes off after his two goal effort. Vitezslav Jaros comes on in net, while young Trey Nyoni enters for Diaz.

Goal Sevilla. The Spanish side drive the ball down their left wing through Chidera Ejuke. The Nigerian jinks past both Ryan Gravenberch and Trent Alexander-Arnold and touches it inside to Gerald Fernandez. The young Spaniard turns and hits a great low shot to the far post that just beats Jaros in goal.

GOAL LIVERPOOL!!!! And it’s the youngster Trey Nyoni with the quick response for the Reds! Nyoni was involved in the buildup as Liverpool worked the way down the left side of the pitch. Kostas Tsimikas plays a cross into the center and it is headed towards the top of the box by a Sevilla defender. Nyoni steps up and makes clean contact on the side volley ahead of a touch by a defender, driving a strong shot pas the goalkeeper!

Liverpool make three more changes now. Joe Gomez, Stefan Bjacetic, and Luca Stephenson all come on. They replace Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, and Trent Alexander-Arnold respectively.

Arne Slot makes another change as the match ticks over into the 82nd minute. Tyler Morton comes on for Ryan Gravenberch. The Dutch midfielder impressed in the double pivot for the second match in a row.

Luca Stephenson making the most of his late cameo here. After putting in a couple of strong challenges shortly after coming on, he bursts forward with the ball down the right wing and combines well with Mohamed Salah. Stephenson plays a first time ball into the box after receiving a return pass, but it is just cut out ahead of Diogo Jota.

Salah has been a creative hub all match, but he really wants to get a goal himself. He again drives down the right wing drives towards the top of the box. He opens his hips and plays a low shot around a defender and to the far post, but the Sevilla keeper does very well to get low and parry the ball away.

That’s the last action of the match as the referee blows for full time!

Final Thoughts

Players get through the match unscathed? Check.

Players get some good minutes in their legs to build conditioning? Check.

Players continue to build on patterns of play and pressing triggers? Check.

Liverpool scoring four goals and looking sharp across the board? Gravy.