By Ahmed AlAsfoor
Forever 20: A tribute to Jota
While the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother still lingers in our minds and hearts, Liverpool players and coaching staff still have a responsibility to do their jobs, even though it is difficult as human beings with feelings and emotions. With the supporters’ energy, it can help ease the pain of grief. “Forever 20” — that is the motto Liverpool Football Club adopted this season to honor the memory of the Portuguese forward, who was an amazing figure on and off the pitch. He will be remembered forever, as the number 20 shirt has been permanently retired in his honor. He will not be forgotten.
A summer of Change
A huge reshuffle in Arne Slot’s side has been remarkable for the way Liverpool Football Club conducts its business in the transfer market. The departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, Kelleher, and Quansah have been key for the club to fund the arrivals of high-caliber players like Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Frimpong, and potentially Alexander Isak. An unbelievable window, and super exciting for the fans. Find the figures below for the deals completed as per the source.
Rivals Strengthen Their Armies
As the champions begin their season, expectations are high. To retain the title is itself a very difficult task as rivals also strengthen their squads to overcome last season’s deficit. The likes of Arsenal and Man City are surely looking to improve their tools and staff, making important business moves. Chelsea, Man United, and Spurs are also not taking it lightly — as Club World Champions, Europa League winners, and with the rich history of Manchester United, they demand improvement and better outcomes than last term.
Friday Night Lights
Friday night lights at Anfield kicked off the most competitive league in Europe. Liverpool hosted Bournemouth, and before kick-off a moment of silence for Jota showed how the football community can bring people together from different beliefs, religions, and races. Such a special feature of football, unlike most other sports.
Ekitike Shines on Debut
The Premier League debut for four new signings got interesting when Hugo Ekitike recorded his first PL goal and assisted the second in the second half. On the other hand, the most expensive signing’s impact wasn’t bad either as he played 80 minutes, showed a great work rate, and created three more chances — joint-most by any player in the game. The best is yet to come from the German attacking midfielder. As the price tag is high, expectations naturally come with it. However, the first 60 minutes of the game can be described as perfect before the manager decided to withdraw his new wingbacks, Frimpong and Kerkez. It affected the team’s dynamic, showing concerns and vulnerability in controlling the game after the duo were taken off. Due to these substitutions, the visitors found their way to the goalie’s net.
Chiesa the Game-Changer
Then, Arne continued to work his magic when he brought on his first signing for the club, Federico Chiesa, who had almost left the club two months ago, to score the goal that restored Liverpool’s lead in the last few minutes of the game — turning this lad from zero to hero for the Reds. While his goal wasn’t the last in the game, Mohamed Salah continued his incredible record since returning to the Premier League by scoring in the opening game week of every season he has played for Liverpool. Continuing to break records, the Egyptian celebrated his goal with a tribute for his former teammate Jota in style.
Referee and VAR
During the early minutes of the game, the last defender of the visitors, Sensi, handled the ball but escaped a red card in the process. While the replays showed a clear handball, VAR explained via the X platform: “The action was deemed not to be a clear handball offence nor denial of a goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO), due to the distance from goal.” However, the headline that dominated the game was the alleged racial abuse directed at Bournemouth’s main man, Antoine Semenyo, by a fan in the stadium. The game was stopped for a few minutes. Afterward, he responded brilliantly by leveling the game and then scoring twice against the champions, showing great mentality. If you’ve got him in your fantasy team — salute.
Voices After the Final Whistle
Following the game, I kept an eye on some of the verdicts made by the manager and players. Player of the Match Hugo Ekitike expressed his desire to improve, even though his performance was top notch. He said he wants to be like his idol Karim Benzema, trying to play in a similar style to the former French international. At the end of his interview, he said he hopes to earn more MOTM awards as the season progresses. The coach showed his frustration regarding the abuse incident, saying it’s unacceptable — especially at Anfield. In terms of gameplay, he thought it was a nice match to watch for the fans. Regarding the summer transfers, he told Sky Sports: “We’ve lost many players, but we didn’t lose our mentality.” When asked about conceding goals and losing control, he claimed that the absence of Ryan Gravenberch (serving a ban) and Mac Allister’s late arrival to camp were reasons why the balance was lacking, and that having them back will improve the situation. On the other hand, Chiesa clearly stated in his post-match interview his desire to stay at this football club and continue enjoying working with the coach and his teammates.
iAsfoor 