Jurgen Klopp was hugely impressed with his back-up brigade after Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-1 in the Community Shield, as he hit out at the nature of judging players in pre-season.
Liverpool triumphed in a fiercely contested clash with the Premier League champions at the King Power Stadium on Saturday thanks to goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez.
The latter impressed with a 30-minute cameo from the bench, marking his debut in English football in style and outshining City's big-money striker – Erling Haaland – in the process.
Nunez stooped low to head in a left-wing cross in stoppage time to put Liverpool two goals ahead, shortly before Haaland inexplicably hit the crossbar at the other end after Adrian had kept out Phil Foden's shot.
Signed from Benfica after a brilliant 2021-22 campaign, both in Portugal's top tier and the Champions League, Nunez had some difficult opening matches for Liverpool at the start of pre-season, but he scored four in a 5-0 rout of RB Leipzig last week.
His impact from the bench on Saturday was telling, with the 23-year-old having four goal attempts, two of which were on target, and it was his header into the upright arm of Ruben Dias that handed Liverpool a penalty after Julian Alvarez had drawn City level.
"It was good, was really good," Klopp said of Nunez's debut in his post-match news conference.
"It's clear that he will get better with time. Everybody gets judged on first sight. It's not helpful for anybody, but it happens all the time.
"Both teams were today not 100 per cent at their physical usual situation. But in the first few [pre-season] games we were not even close to the level today. [In those games] everybody judges his first touches and this kind of thing and it's a joke, but we have to live with it. We are patient, we knew that he can do good stuff.
"We all know – [strikers are] a special species – and everyone knows about the positives, goal involvements. I think Darwin, even without scoring the third one, [would have scored] because of the penalty was from his header, and before that Ederson reacted brilliantly [to make a save when one-on-one with the Uruguayan].
"The goal was the icing on the cake. For him, you could see his face, how happy the boys are for him. It's a really good sign after a short period of time."
Nunez became the fourth player to score on his competitive debut for Liverpool under Klopp, after Sadio Mane, Salah and Virgil van Dijk, but the striker was not the only substitute to impress Liverpool's manager, who won the Community Shield for the first time at the third time of asking.
"Today I liked the impact, in a high-level game. As good as we were, the impact from the bench was really exceptional. A very good sign," said Klopp, who brought on Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, James Milner, Harvey Elliott and debutant Fabio Carvalho as well as Nunez.
"A good watch, a good game. Both teams used what was available today, that's what we could have expected."
Asked by Stats Perform if the nature in which Liverpool regained control in the latter stages boded well for the fitness of his side ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, Klopp said: "It was for me really nice. It's the most difficult opponent you can get, they do not get any better.
"Their squad, the boys he could bring on, it's very experienced, proven quality. We have space to improve the quality from the bench. Harvey's impact. Millie [Milner], I'm not sure what level he can reach this year to be honest! Curtis, and Naby – wow – just so good."
Liverpool face Strasbourg in a friendly on Sunday at Anfield, before turning their attention to taking on promoted Fulham in their first game of the Premier League season.
Deschamps: Maignan save 'worth a goal'
Didier Deschamps was not surprised by Mike Maignan's superb save in France's 1-0 win over Republic of Ireland, which he described as "worth a goal".
Milan goalkeeper Maignan preserved France's victory in the Euro 2024 qualifier with a sensational late stop, somehow clawing away Nathan Collins' goal-bound header.
That save followed him keeping out a penalty in France's 4-0 win over the Netherlands in their opening Group B clash, with Maignan quickly justifying his promotion to France's number one between the posts following Hugo Lloris' international retirement.
Having seen his side claim six points from two games, Deschamps was left with plenty to smile about as he reflected on their excellent start, including the shot-stopping prowess of Maignan.
"There is a lot of positive with six points, five goals and none conceded," said Deschamps in quotes reported by L'Equipe.
"The calendar had not given us gifts with the Netherlands and Ireland. We were less radiant today than Friday. We had fewer opportunities but we have to win these matches.
"The team showed a very good state of mind and character. There is Mike's stop. It's worth a goal. We were able to answer and being less brilliant than in the first game. Ireland defended well. I am happy and proud of this group against two opponents like that. It's really good to have already taken these six points."
Of Maignan's save, he added: "It's an exceptional stop. But I'm not surprised. I know what he is capable of doing. Hugo was also capable of such stops of his kind. Mike has all the qualities, the wingspan and the mind. He is a leader.
"There was already the penalty stopped against the Netherlands. But this stop is even more expensive. I had no doubts and uncertainties about the succession. When Mike is in full possession of his means, he is of a very high level."
Prior to Maignan's save, Benjamin Pavard scored what proved the decisive with a rasping strike from outside the area that flew in off the crossbar.
Pavard's goal marked his first appearance for France since their opening game of the 2022 World Cup against Australia.
"He had a very complicated match at the beginning of the World Cup," Deschamps said of Pavard.
"He had been a starter in previous years. He played the first game and Jules [Kounde] took his place.
"After this goal, I told him that I was very happy for him. Despite his personal disappointment, he has always kept the state of mind.
"He enjoyed his playing time in his club. It's very good for him and especially for the group."
Koeman criticises 'sloppy' Netherlands after meagre Gibraltar win: 'The level has to go up'
Ronald Koeman acknowledged the Netherlands' "level has to go up" after their meagre 3-0 victory over Gibraltar in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Nathan Ake scored twice while Memphis Depay was also on target at De Kuip as Koeman claimed the first win of his second spell in charge, which began with a humbling 4-0 defeat against France three days earlier.
The Oranje's three goals came despite recording 50 shots and having 101 touches in the opposition box - more than they have managed in any other match since Opta began collecting this data in August 2013.
They also registered a remarkable 5.04 expected goals (xG), and Koeman was disappointed by his side's general lacking of a clinical edge.
"I didn't see enough goals tonight," he told NOS. "The opponent obviously didn't co-operate, but we were way too sloppy at times.
"From the beginning, we were inaccurate, and we didn't have the form to create big, good chances. Okay, there was a lot of blocking, but with more sharpness, we score much more often.
"The game and result against France was not good. Now we win, but that makes sense. But overall, it was far too little.
"Aspects such as positional play, ball circulation, taking the right positions - as a winger or defender - really needs to be improved. The football and level has to go up."
Ake's double was the undoubted highlight for the hosts, the defender recording more shot involvements than any other player (nine shots, seven chances created), with only Depay registering more in a single Netherlands match since Opta began collecting the data.
And the Manchester City man drew positives from the fact he and his team-mates were able to conjure as many opportunities as they did.
"Of course, the main aim was to win the match and, besides that, we wanted to score as many goals as possible. Obviously, that didn't work out," Ake added.
"That we created so many chances was good, but maybe we should have been calmer in how we tried to convert them.
"It doesn't happen very often that I score twice in one game. But it was very crowded where our forwards were, so maybe that created a little more space for the rest of us. At some point, I was even considering the possibility of a hat-trick, but it wasn't to be."
Netherlands 3-0 Gibraltar: Ake nets twice as Koeman gets first win of second spell
Ronald Koeman claimed the first win of his second spell in charge of the Netherlands as the Oranje dispatched 10-man Gibraltar 3-0.
Nathan Ake scored twice in a game that saw the Netherlands have 50 attempts without allowing one at the other end, as Koeman's team got up and running in Euro 2024 qualifying following last week's heavy defeat to France.
Ake's second-half double came after Memphis Depay had put the Dutch ahead against the Group B minnows in Rotterdam on Monday.
It marked a 19th straight defeat in Euro qualifying for Gibraltar, who had Liam Walker sent off for a rash challenge on Dutch debutant Mats Wieffer.
In need of a response following their hammering in Paris, the Netherlands had control from the off, and the lead came in the 23rd minute.
Following a patient move, Denzel Dumfries – back from suspension – supplied an inviting cross that Depay glanced in.
Georginio Wijnaldum volleyed just over while Wout Weghorst twice went close – spurning a great chance when he shot wide from eight yards out before Dayle Coleing produced a smart reflex save to deny the Manchester United striker.
The Dutch doubled their lead five minutes after the break, Dumfries helping a deep cross back into the centre for Ake to head home.
Gibraltar were reduced to 10 men less than 60 seconds later. Walker caught Wieffer with a dangerous challenge, leaving referee Morten Krogh with little choice but to brandish a straight red.
Coleing denied Donyell Malen and Cody Gakpo while Roy Chipolina blocked Weghorst on the line, but Ake's deflected strike eight minutes from time added gloss to an easy victory.
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