The article "Five Things Learnt from Liverpool vs Athletic Club Game Two" on Paisley Gates analyzes Liverpool's second pre-season friendly against Athletic Club, which ended in a 3-2 victory for Liverpool under manager Arne Slot.

Firstly, the article highlights the promising performances of Liverpool’s new players and youth prospects, with Rio Ngumoha starring and Hugo Ekitike impressing through assists and link-up play. The attacking partnership seems to be developing well, especially between Mohamed Salah and Ekitike, who combined effectively for Liverpool’s opening goal. This reveals encouraging tactical options for Slot ahead of the new season.

Secondly, the defense had moments of vulnerability, partly due to the absence of key defenders Joe Gomez (injury) and the recent sale of Jarell Quansah. Wataru Endo started alongside Ibrahim Konate in central defense, but was caught out leading to an Athletic equaliser by Oihan Sancet, as Liverpool’s defensive organization required tightening.

Thirdly, Cody Gakpo was involved in crucial moments, scoring twice and even inadvertently heading into his own net within 15 minutes, reflecting an entertaining and error-prone final phase of the match. This shows both his impact and the team's need to improve concentration under pressure.

Five things learnt Liverpool vs Athletic Club pre-season friendly	Five things learnt from Liverpool vs Athletic Club pre-season friendly	Livrerpool 4 Athletic Club 1 Liverpool 3 Athletic Club 2 | Post Match Pint

Fourthly, Mohamed Salah missed a penalty that sailed over the bar, a rare lapse in his clinical finishing. The article suggests this is an anomaly unlikely to affect his confidence in the upcoming season.

Finally, despite some imperfections, the game gave fans and coaching staff insights into how Liverpool might operate at full strength once injury concerns settle. It was a competitive and engaging match with positives to build on ahead of the campaign.

The article provides a balanced view of progress and areas for improvement following Liverpool’s 3-2 win at Anfield against Athletic Club in their pre-season double header.


PP