Liverpool vs Athletic Club LIVE!
Arne Slot’s Liverpool defeated Athletic Club twice in a double header at Anfield ahead of next weekend’s Community Shield. It was an emotional return home for the Premier League champions, who played their first home matches since the tragic passing of their Portuguese forward Diogo Jota.
With 180 minutes of football on the docket, fans flocked to the terraces to see their plethora of new recruits in action on home turf for the first time. Slot named a youth-focused side for the first match of the evening and took a comfortable 4-1 win, with teenage starlet RIo Nguhoma on the scoresheet, and Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott also helped themselves to strikes to supplement Alex Padilla’s own goal.
In the second game, Slot plumped for a much stronger XI - almost his first-choice - but saw his go-to men put through their paces by a stubborn and crafty Athletic Club side, managed by Ernesto Valverde. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring, but Oihan Sancet pegged the hosts back. Cody Gakpo’s two goals sandwiched an own goal by the Dutchman as the Basque side threatened from set plays, while Salah skied a penalty on an entertaining afternoon on Merseyside.
Liverpool vs Athletic Club latest news
- Salah misses penalty by a mile
- Gakpo scores his second
- Gakpo own goal equalises for visitors
- Gakpo restores Reds' lead
- Sancet slams in equaliser
- Salah opens scoring after Ekitike assist
FT: Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:49 , Oli GentThere we have it. A double-whammy for Liverpool on an emotional return to Anfield, but they’ve done the job. Minutes in legs for all, and some nice combinations and relationships being forged. As for the defending, however? Things to be done before the season starts properly.
Thanks for joining us on Standard Sport, be sure to come back very soon for even more LIVE action.
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:47 , Oli Gent90 mins: Escape! It’s teased into the box and Izeta looks to tap home, but Mamardashvili is onto him quickly to keep him out!
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:43 , Oli Gent87 mins: Close! Bilbao are pushing for an equaliser as Adama steps infield from left-back, and Mamardashvili gets something on it to tip it around the post!
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:41 , Oli Gent86 mins: Saved! Liverpool this time streak forward, and it comes for Wright, who is through on goal, but Simon denies him!
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:40 , Oli Gent85 mins: What a save! Ares has had a good impact on the left and jinks past Szoboszlai. He makes Mamardashvili work with a fizzer, and the Georgian is equal to it!
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:39 , Oli Gent84 mins: Inaki Williams is off, replaced by Adu Ares.
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:38 , Oli Gent82 mins: No! Salah skies the spot-kick! What have we just seen? He is human!
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:38 , Oli Gent81 mins: Penalty! Endo of all people breaks into the box and takes it done nicely after great build-up down the right between Szoboszlai and Chiesa. Endo chests it down, and is chopped down by the lunging Vivian.
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:35 , Oli Gent79 mins: Fresh faces afoot for Bilbao as Sannadi, Berchiche, and Nico Williams all go off. Louis Johaneko and Aimar Dunabeitia are on, as too is Urko Izeta.
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:34 , Oli Gent77 mins: A bit of a weird tactical shape from Slot. with Szoboszlai at right-back and Nallo moving in at centre-back. Wright has gone up front, with Chiesa moving to the No10 position. Endo has shifted into midfield alongside Gravenberch.
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:31 , Oli Gent74 mins: Two changes for Liverpool as their two Leverkusen boys go off. Frimpong and Wirtz are replaced by Amara Nallo and Will Wright.
Liverpool 3-2 Athletic Club
21:28 , Oli GentGoal! 70 mins: They’re back in front, and Gakpo has another. He rights the wrong of his own goal just moments ago, and Gravenberch weaves into the box before looking left. Gakpo picks it up, jinks, and drives inside before striking, and it squirms through Simon for 3-2.
Liverpool 2-2 Athletic Club
21:26 , Oli Gent68 mins: Slot is in conversation with his coaching staff. What has he noticed? What needs to be tweaked? Liverpool have played well, but they’ve been caught out defensively once more.
Liverpool 2-2 Athletic Club
21:21 , Oli GentGoal! 65 mins: That wasn’t in the script! Bilbao are level, and it’s another set play that catches Liverpool cold. It’s Sannadi at the near post, as the outswinger comes in, evading Kerkez at the edge of the six-yard box. Sannadi makes the first contact, and it deflects in off Gakpo! 2-2.
Liverpool 2-1 Athletic Club
21:20 , Oli Gent64 mins: Close! More nice interplay on the edge of the Bilbao box from Liverpool as Szboboszlai and Gakpo are involved, before it’s fed out to Salah on the right. He jinks inside and looks to strike with his left, and Berchiche blocks. However, the flag is up, and Slot looks away in frustration.
Liverpool 2-1 Athletic Club
21:19 , Oli Gent62 mins: What changes will Slot make to his team? He’s only got kids left off the bench. Will he want any of these players to play a full 90?
Liverpool 2-1 Athletic Club
21:15 , Oli Gent58 mins: Ekitike is withdrawn, with Slot managing his minutes. Federico Chiesa comes on, and he will play as that false nine.
Liverpool 2-1 Athletic Club
21:13 , Oli GentGoal! 56 mins: the corner is taken short and catches Bilbao out. It’s worked out to Gravenberch who strikes from range, and Ekitike and Gakpo both follow in the rebound as Simon spills, and the Dutchman dinks it over the felled keeper to restore the Reds’ advantage.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
21:12 , Oli Gent56 mins: Close! Liverpool come agonisingly close to that elusive second, and Kerkez maintains the width for the first time and gets on his bike on the overlap. He stands it up for Ekitike, and Gakpo on the follow-up! Simon saves.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
21:10 , Oli Gent54 mins: Yellow card! Liverpool break quickly, and Salah is hauled down cynically by Galarreta!
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
21:09 , Oli Gent53 mins: Liverpool are being made to defend here. Nico Wiliams has burst into life and looks to get the byline, and he stabs a cut-back into the middle for Sannadi, but Endo hacks it clear.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
21:07 , Oli Gent51 mins: It’s been a bit more measured start from the Reds in the last few moments. We’re still not quite seeing Kerkez as high and wide as Frimpong, but the Hungarian is a bit more advanced, but inverted to add an extra body in midfield.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
21:04 , Oli Gent48 mins: No changes at half time from either side. We carry on as we left things, with Liverpool looking to come out of the blocks hot.
Kick off
21:01 , Oli Gent46 mins: We’re back underway.
HT: Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:46 , Oli GentThere’s the interval. No injury time. We go in level thanks to Sancet’s equaliser after Liverpool took the lead through Salah.
What will the second half have in store?
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:42 , Oli Gent42 mins: There’s an enforced change for Bilbao as Sancet is replaced by Peio Canales.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:38 , Oli Gent39 mins: Free kick, Athletic Club. Ekitike goes in for a big 50-50 with Vivian, but gives away the foul, arriving just a tad late on the slide.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:36 , Oli Gent37 mins: Salah sends in another sublime pass as he slides in Wirtz on the underlap. The German’s path to goal is narrowed by Simon, who stands up to keep out the German.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:35 , Oli Gent36 mins: That goal for Bilbao has really brought them to life, and we’re finally starting to see Inaki and Nico Williams get invovled either side. The Ghanaian Inaki has a speculative effort with the outside of his boot from range fly wide of the target.
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:34 , Oli Gent33 mins: Close! Salah sends in a teasing inswinger from the right, and Konate comes in with the spectacular! It just whistles over the top!
Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club
20:30 , Oli GentGoal! 29 mins: I told you that he would be a threat! Oihan Sancet levels, and the Premier League champions are caught out by a set piece! The free kick is hung up to the far post, and it’s knocked back across the box. Sancet takes it into his stride, and is coolness personified to slam home the equaliser!
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
20:28 , Oli Gent28 mins: The one new Liverpool signing we’ve not seen too much of is Kerkez. The left-back has been a bit more reserved in his positioning, more tucking in to form a back three instead of bombing on on the overlap.
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
20:24 , Oli Gent24 mins: Ekitike has been superb so far. He’s been bustling, all-action. Just what the Liverpool fans expect. He’s held the ball up, he’s been a handful, and he’s run the channels hard. He’s also been a real threat in behind with his pace and directness.
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
20:21 , Oli Gent21 mins: The Anfield faithful rises to applaud Diogo Jota in the 20th minute. Another touching moment. Players and staff clap as well as the game takes a momentary pause.
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
20:19 , Oli Gent19 mins: Liverpool are looking deadly in their ferocious counter-press. Gravenberch wins it back high up the field, and the Reds come again. Frimpong has been a handful down the right, but Berchiche comes across to deal with him this time.
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
20:17 , Oli Gent16 mins: Free kick, Liverpool. Sannadi finds himself tracking back on Ekitike wide left, and he fells the Frenchman just outside the area. Wirtz is over this set piece, but Simon claims authoritatively.
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
20:14 , Oli GentGoal! 14 mins: This time, though! Salah opens the scoring, and Ekitike is invovled with a driving run. There’s good interplay in midfield, and Ekitike speeds towards the byline with a neat stepover. He finds Salah at the far post, and the winger nets with aplomb.
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:13 , Oli Gent14 mins: Close! It’s a world-class pass from as Salah as Frimpong and Wirtz combine. The Egyptian looks for Gakpo in behind with a reverse ball, and the Dutchman is caught in two minds, not knowing whether to cross or shoot. His effort is wide of the far post!
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:12 , Oli Gent13 mins: Another tactical note. Slot has begun to instruct his full-backs to invert, and we’ve seen both Kerkez and Frimpong both take up positions in midfield already.
That said, in possession, Frimpong is getting particularly high and wide down the right. He is a real outlet when Salah drifts inside.
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:10 , Oli Gent10 mins: Szoboszlai is making some great runs already from his position in the double pivot. The epitome of a box-to-box midfielder. The Hungarian is inhabiting those little pockets of space between the thirds and rotating with Wirtz to really throw the Basque side.
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:08 , Oli Gent8 mins: Szoboszlai and Salah are over this one, offering the right and left-footed options. There’s a gap that Simon’s near post, and Salah touches it off for Szoboszlai to strike with power! Simon keeps it out, spills, but claims at the second time of asking.
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:07 , Oli Gent7 mins: Free kick, Liverpool. Gakpo has made a lively start and he darts infield at pace. Vivian sticks his leg out and makes a clumsy challenge on the edge of the area. Who will hit this one?
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:06 , Oli Gent6 mins: Close! Liverpool burst down the field from deep as Wirtz and Ekitike feed Gakpo wide left. The Dutchman looks for the early cross, and Wirtz follows his pass and meets it, but can only direct the header over!
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:05 , Oli Gent5 mins: Sannadi will be another interesting one to watch up top for Athletic Club.
He has a very complete nature about him, with the pace and physicality, but also a superb first touch and knack for finishing.
Liverpool 0-0 Athletic Club
20:01 , Oli Gent3 mins: Tactical observations early doors. Florian Wirtz is at No10 behind Hugo Ekitike, who leads the line. Wataru Endo is at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate in the absence of van Dijk.
Kick off
20:00 , Oli Gent1 min: We are underway.
The players are out
19:55 , Oli GentAnd here comes ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ again...
Better from Bilbao
19:45 , Oli GentThat’s also close to Athletic Club’s first-choice side as well, so we should get a more competitive game this time around.
The ones to watch? The Williams brothers, of course, while Oihan Sancet is a tricky customer in the No10 position.
Athletic Club starting line-up
19:38 , Oli GentConfirmed Athletic Club XI: Simón, Areso, Vivian, Berchiche, Adamam, Jauregizar, Ruiz de Galarreta, I Williams, Sancet, N Williams, Maroan.
Subs: Santos, Navarro, Canales, Vencedor, Izeta, Adu Ares, Duñabeitia, Johaneko
Much stronger side
19:23 , Oli Gent... from Slot this time around.
That’s almost a first-choice XI. Obviously, there are some big absentees.
Virgil van Dijk is ill, while Alisson is still dealing with a personal matter that forced him to leave the pre-season tour early.
Conor Bradley is also injured, although this will give Jeremie Frimpong a huge chance to stake his claim to become starting right-back.
Confirmed Liverpool XI
19:06 , Oli GentHere is how Slot lines his side up for this evening’s second game...
Confirmed Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Endo, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Pecsi, Chiesa, Nallo, Morrison, Davidson, Wright.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club
18:49 , Arthur FerridgeThat does it for the first match of the evening - a comfortable win for the Reds, adorned by another fantastic performance from Rio Ngumoha.
Don’t go anywhere, though. The second match of the evening will come in just over an hour!
Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club
18:46 , Arthur Ferridge89mins: Jayden Danns makes a dancing run through the middle but can’t work the angle get a shot off.
Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club
18:41 , Arthur Ferridge84mins: A fantastic through ball slices Liverpool wide open and Johaneko is there to collect, finishing clinically. The flag is up, though.
Elsewhere, Jones is replaced by Laffey.
Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club
18:39 , Arthur Ferridge83mins: Koumas picks up on a loose ball and bears down on goal, shooting at Padilla’s near post, but the Mexican gets down quickly to deny him.
Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club
18:37 , Arthur Ferridge80mins: Koumas replaces Nunez for Liverpool. Considering the Uruguayan is set to leave the club this summer, that was a pretty solid performance.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Athletic Club
18:33 , Arthur Ferridge76mins: Athletic Club pull one back in clumsy circumstances. Stephenson looks to clear Johaneko’s cross but nods it into the path of Guruzeta, who heads home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:30 , Arthur Ferridge73mins: Guruzeta wins the ball high up the pitch and has a sight at goal. He takes an ambitious shot from about 30 yards, and it is very, very high into the stands. Beyond row Z. Not one to remember.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:27 , Arthur Ferridge71mins: The free-kick does not beat the first man, and Liverpool play all the way back to Pecsi.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:26 , Arthur Ferridge70mins: Stephenson is backed into the corner under pressure from two Athletic Club players, but does well to win a foul.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:25 , Arthur Ferridge69mins: Nunez is in the market for a brace, but is halted in the box by Jon de Luis.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:24 , Arthur Ferridge67mins: A second change for Liverpool as Nyoni is replaced by Pilling.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:23 , Arthur Ferridge67mins: Rio Ngumoha comes off for Trent Kone-Doherty. Not a bad showing from the 16-year-old.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:22 , Arthur Ferridge66mins: Athletic’s heads look to have gone down here, Liverpool are just passing around the back under very little pressure.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:20 , Arthur Ferridge63mins: Berengeur comes again and sits Nyoni down in the Liverpool box, but shoots wide from the penalty spot under pressure from Robertson.
Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:18 , Arthur Ferridge61mins: Berengeur is the latest Athletic Club representative to take a pop from long range, but fires over the bar.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Athletic Club
18:15 , Arthur Ferridge58mins: A sweet move comes out of nowhere and Elliott finishes to make it four! Tsimikas makes a marauding run and finds Nunez in the box, who cuts it back for the unmarked Briton to fire home.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:13 , Arthur Ferridge57mins: Mac Allister started pre-season carrying an injury, so no great surprise to see him hooked so soon.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:12 , Arthur Ferridge55mins: Danns and Lucky replace Mac Allister and Doak.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:08 , Arthur Ferridge52mins: Doak gets free down the right and looks to feed Stephenson, but misplaces his pass.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:07 , Arthur Ferridge50mins: A fantastic through ball has Guruzeta through on goal, but Pecsi is quick off his line to smother his chance.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:04 , Arthur Ferridge47mins: Tsimikas pulls down Berenguer on the edge of the area to hand Athletic Club a close-range free-kick, but the shot only finds the wall.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:02 , Arthur Ferridge45mins: Armin Pecsi has replaced Freddie Woodman at half-time.
2ND HALF: Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
18:01 , Arthur FerridgeBack underway at Anfield!
HALF TIME: Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
17:47 , Arthur FerridgeDoak tries another long-range effort but sees it blocked, and that does it for the first half. A commanding lead for Liverpool at the break, though the scoreline could read very differently had Athletic taken their chances.
Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
17:46 , Arthur Ferridge45mins: A clumsy backpass from Gorosabel hands Liverpool a corner, which should end the half.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Athletic Club
17:43 , Arthur Ferridge42mins: Doak gets his own back. Moments after going close from range, he cuts in behind and shoots from the edge of the six-yard box. Padilla gets down to it but can’t quite stop it.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:42 , Arthur Ferridge41mins: Wow! Ben Doak lets fly on the half volley from about 35 yards and forces a fantastic save Padilla. That was a sweet, sweet connection from the Scot. What a goal that could have been.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:40 , Arthur Ferridge40mins: Half-time is fast approaching. Can Liverpool find a third before the break?
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:37 , Arthur Ferridge37mins: Tsimikas heaves a long throw into the box but it cannot find a red shirt. Athletic Club counter apace but Serrano’s cross is just over Guruzeta’s head.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:35 , Arthur Ferridge35mins: Berenguer and Rego have a two-on-one chance, but Nyoni, playing out of position, tracks back and does a great job of denying the Spaniard’s cross.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:34 , Arthur Ferridge33mins: Darwin bears down on the area with the ball at his feet but De Luis tracks back and makes a key tackle to deny the shooting opportunity.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:32 , Arthur Ferridge32mins: Confirmation, now, that the injured Benat Diaz was replaced by Robert Navarro earlier on.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:30 , Arthur Ferridge30mins: Ngumoah gets on the end of a long ball in the box, but, for the first time today, is tackled. Athletic Club have grown into this tie.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:27 , Arthur Ferridge27mins: Guruzeta tackles Jones on the edge of the Liverpool box and lashes a shot first time, but can’t get it on target.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:26 , Arthur Ferridge26mins: Tsimikas is caught late by Serrano. No love lost, though, and we play on.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:25 , Arthur Ferridge24mins: Nice move from Athletic as Berenguer breaks the lines and finds Serrano with a nice cross, but his volleyed effort is high and wide.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:23 , Arthur Ferridge22mins: Doak blitzes down the right flank and cuts a dangerous cross back, which the goalkeeper Padilla bats away.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:21 , Arthur Ferridge20mins: A rousing round of applause as we tick into the 20th minute at Anfield.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:20 , Arthur Ferridge20mins: Mac Allister takes the free-kick short to Nyoni, who in turn looks to cross to Nunez but sees his effort cut out.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:19 , Arthur Ferridge18mins: Jones makes a marauding run and is stopped in his tracks by Rego, who is booked for his tackle. Jones takes his time getting up.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:18 , Arthur Ferridge17mins: Valiant defending from Robertson, who makes two key blocks to keep out Athletic Club before a third shot fizzes over the bar. Great chance for the La Liga side, who really should have scored one of those efforts.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:15 , Arthur Ferridge14mins: Liverpool doing a great job of smothering Athletic Club in possession in the early stages here. The Spaniards have had a couple of spells on the ball but made very little progress.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:13 , Arthur Ferridge13mins: Mac Allister hits a trivela cross to Nunez but misses the mark.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:11 , Arthur Ferridge10mins: The corner comes to nothing. Athletic Club finding their feet after a disastrous start. That said, there seems to be an injury in the visitors’ back line.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:10 , Arthur Ferridge9mins: The city of Bilbao quivers as Ngumoha gets on the ball high on the left flank. There will be no goal or assist this time, though he does win a corner.
Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:08 , Arthur Ferridge7mins: Anyway, as I was saying, this Ngumoha kid is not a bad footballer at all. How big of a role will he play for Liverpool this season?
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Athletic Club
17:06 , Arthur Ferridge5mins: Goodness me - Nunez makes it two! And you’d never guess which 16-year-old Red got the assist...
Doak whips one across the box and Ngumoha knocks it central for Nunez to tap home.
Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
17:05 , Arthur Ferridge4mins: Ngumoha is still just 16 years of age, by the way.
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Athletic Club
17:03 , Arthur Ferridge2mins: That didn’t take long at all! Rio Ngumoha tears through the centre of the pitch and fires one into the bottom right corner from range - look what it means to him!
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