Liverpool took on Southampton in the League Cup this week and it afforded Arne Slot are great opportunity to rotate his team. As such, a number of fresh faces were included in the starting lineup.
That said, it was big-money marquee summer signing Alexander Isak who opened the scoring for the Reds. Southampton had actually squandered a massive opportunity just moments before but were soon punished for their wastefulness.
Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy gave the ball away cheaply, and within a flash, Federico Chiesa had put the ball on a plate for Isak to grab his first goal for the club. In the second half, though, the away team stayed in the game and Shea Charles capitalised on a Wataru Endo error to level the scores.
Hugo Ekitike was able to grab a winner but foolishly took off his shirt during the celebrations, meaning he picked up a second yellow card. Despite being down to 10 men, Liverpool clung on to their 2-1 lead.
Giovanni Leoni Shines On Debut
Giovanni Leoni arrived from Parma in the summer for £26m but had yet to make a single appearance for Liverpool up to now. But he was handed his debut against Southampton, and it didn’t take long for him to impress.
In fact, news of his steady display reached journalist Adam Summerton, who often commentates on Serie A games for TNT Sports, so he knows the Italian teenager well. On social media, he wrote:
“I’ve just seen Leoni described as ‘The Italian Alan Hansen’. Incredibly early days but pleased to see him making a good first impression, super talented.”
Sadly, the player was forced off with a nasty injury. As such, he’s likely set for a spell on the sidelines. That means he won’t be able to push for a spot in Arne Slot’s starting XI right away, but after an impressive debut, that looks to be a real possibility in the near future.
Leoni’s stats were incredible too, as he finished the game with six clearances, three interceptions and one tackle. On the ball, he was nearly faultless, losing the ball just 3 times after 102 touches, with 97% passing accuracy.
Fans Impressed With Leoni
Fans were just as enthusiastic about the 18-year-old. One wrote:
‘Can Leoni start alongside Van Dijk every week?’
Another added: ‘Leoni might be generational.’ While one said: ‘Leoni looks ridiculous, my word…’
Along a similar theme, another fan remarked: ‘Seen enough in 5mins to know Leoni is going straight to the top, fabulous footballer.’ While somebody else summed up the excitement, writing: ‘Really like the look of Leoni already. Very composed, and secures the danger position before the attackers make the move… Impressed in the opening 25 minutes.’
A few more fans got involved in the praise, writing: ‘Well, Leoni looks a hell of a player then.’ And: ‘LEONI IS ABSOLUTELY UNREAL’