Match reportJota, Diaz and Nyoni strike as Liverpool beat Sevilla 4-1 at Anfield
Liverpool claimed a 4-1 win over Sevilla in the first of their back-to-back home friendlies on Sunday afternoon.
A fabulous Diogo Jota volley gave the Reds a breakthrough with half an hour played at Anfield, before Luis Diaz netted twice in quick succession before the interval.
Peque Fernandez got one back for the Spaniards but substitute Trey Nyoni immediately restored a three-goal lead, with a behind-closed-doors contest against another La Liga side, Las Palmas, following.
Liverpool emerged into blazing sunshine for their maiden Anfield appearance of both the new season and the tenure of head coach Arne Slot.
Five Reds were playing for the first time in the pre-season, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Virgil van Dijk back in the XI.
Slot’s men almost carved out a third-minute chance when Mohamed Salah’s prodded pass in behind for the scampering Diaz was cleared at the last by Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
The visitors should have taken the lead just before the quarter-hour mark.
Stanis Idumbo intercepted Jarell Quansah’s pass as the Liverpool man tried to play out from around his area, and was clean through one-on-one. But Idumbo got the strike all wrong and skied the ball into the Kop.
Diaz was off target high and to the right with a blast from around 25 yards, before Salah was closer with a curler across the face of goal and past the post after a trademark shimmy inside from the flank.
But Liverpool would soon deliver a clinical spell that had them three goals ahead by half-time.
The opener was spectacular. After a cleared Reds corner was lofted back into the Sevilla penalty box, Jota met the ball with a sublime, first-time volley off his left foot that soared into the top right of the net.
They could have doubled their lead before they actually did, but Tanguy Nianzou recovered well to intercept when Salah broke free, drew Nyland and tried to square for Jota.
But with 37 on the clock, Jota battled strongly and spread play out to the left wing, from where Diaz beat his marker down the inside and powered an effort high into the goal.
And it got even better for Slot’s side a minute before the break. Again they cut through, this time Dominik Szoboszlai the player sent bounding clear. The No.8 unselfishly squared for Diaz to convert from close range.
There was a lively start to the second half at both ends.
Ryan Gravenberch was crowded out at the crucial moment after some fine footwork inside the box at one end, while Djibril Sow sent a low hit too central to concern Alisson at the other.
As we reached the hour mark, Van Dijk met a Kostas Tsimikas corner from the right with a header that the captain got on target but without enough power to threaten a fourth.
The next goal in fact came from Sevilla. Chidera Ejuke’s headway along the left needed the attentions of two and the ball eventually skewed to Peque, who from just inside the area arced a shot in off the right post.
Liverpool’s response was immediate, and equally impressive.
The away team could only partially clear a loft into the box from Tsimikas, and the loose ball was sent whistling into the bottom corner from Nyoni’s sliced strike.
Salah nearly added his name to the scoresheet in the closing moments, though Nyland reacted smartly to tip his low curler around the post.
Liverpool: Alisson (Jaros, 62), Van Dijk (Gomez, 74), Diaz (Nyoni, 62), Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Bajcetic, 74), Salah, Jota, Tsimikas, Gravenberch (Morton, 82), Alexander-Arnold (Stephenson, 74), Quansah.
Unused subs: Pitaluga, Nallo, Blair.
Attendance: 59,122
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