Liverpool made history at Anfield on Friday night as they became the first reigning champions to name as many as four Premier League debutants in their opening day starting XI.
That shows the level of change at the club this summer and how they have bucked a trend, with the Reds keen to evolve – not stand still – in the aftermath of their league title triumph.
Hugo Ekitike started in attack and scored – who needs Alexander Isak? – and his strike partners, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo, also found the net.
Federico Chiesa, meanwhile, came off the bench to net, with fellow new boys Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz also starting.
But who had a league debut to remember? Who failed to live up to their billing? And who was limited in terms of their attacking output?
Daily Mail Sport’s LEWIS STEELE was at Anfield to kee[ a close eye on all four to bring you a report card…
Hugo Ekitike continued his fine form from the Community Shield with a Premier League debut goal for Liverpool
Daily Mail Sport’s LEWIS STEELE was at Anfield to grade the four Liverpool new boys that started against Bournemouth
HUGO EKITIKE – A
It is hard to avoid viewing everything through the lens of ‘what would Darwin Nunez do?’ when it comes to the new No 9.
But given fans had a passionate love-hate relationship with the former striker, one cannot help but turning the mind to the Uruguayan every time Ekitike wows his new fanbase.
We did it last week when he played a lovely give-and-go and then unleashed a fine finish at Wembley in the Community Shield, and we did it after two minutes here after he was dropping deep and spraying passes around in an all-round display.
And we certainly did it when he found himself clear on goal, gave Djordje Petrovic the eyes and confidently slotted into the open space to score.
This was a league debut to remember for Ekitike, not just for his goal but a fine performance which would have delighted boss Arne Slot. The Dutchman spent so much of last season demanding more from his No 9s in an all-round sense.
Liverpool signed Ekitike for £79million from Eintracht Frankfurt so none of this will come as a surprise to any in the recruitment team. He was signed not just for his goal-scoring – but it certainly helps a striker to start life at a new club with two goals in two competitive games.
FLORIAN WIRTZ – B
Wirtz could be the signing of the season in the Premier League after his £116million move from Bayer Leverkusen. But this was not the night that he showed as much.
There were some lovely touches by the effervescent German but he failed to get a real chokehold on the game as he has so often for club and country in the last few years.
As he did last week in the Community Shield, Wirtz started the game well but slowly faded and looked tired towards the end.
Florian Wirtz could be the signing of the season – but did not show that on Friday evening
Jeremie Frimpong will be an exciting player to watch but didn’t show that either at Anfield
JEREMIE FRIMPONG – B
A bit like his former Leverkusen colleague, Frimpong will be an exciting player to watch this year – but this was not the game in which he showed that.
He was fairly limited in an attacking sense and did not demonstrate any of the qualities that made him be described as a ‘little assassin’ by former boss Neil Lennon when asked for an honest appraisal by Daily Mail Sport earlier this summer.
MILOS KERKEZ – C
Again, it feels harsh to be ranking players based on 90 minutes – or 59 in Kerkez’s case – but there is more to come from Kerkez, too.
The Hungary international was brought in from Bournemouth and his every touch got booed by Cherries fans, who rightfully took umbrage with the way he handled his exit by effectively flirting with Liverpool on social media.
And the travelling fans would have been ironically happy to see Kerkez struggle somewhat, given a tough time by his old colleague Antoine Semenyo.
He did not show any of the attacking threat he demonstrated so well in two seasons on the south coast and was caught out of position several times in a defensive sense.
More to come from both full backs, who have tough competition from veteran Andy Robertson and exciting Conor Bradley, though the latter is injured at present…
PS…
The newest of the Liverpool recruits was watching from the stands in £26m Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, 18.
Given the sub-par display from Liverpool’s back four, the Italian stallion might fancy his chances of getting a game sooner than he expected!
