Liverpool was completed in style for the season with a 7-3 total victory over two games against Athletic Club in Anfield.
Arne Slot had to view players from his Premier League tribe to rising stars in the academy and left with a smile on his face after a 4-1 victory was followed by a 3-2 victory.
It was an emotionally charged evening because it was the first time that fans of Liverpool since the death of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died last month after a horror car -Crash, watched a match in Anfield.
On the field, however, there was reason to cheer, with a teenager who gave a final break for thinking, Salah made a mockery of any doubters, and Hugo Ekitike and Darwin Nunez suggest that Alexander Isak may not be required.
Our reporter Nathan Salt watched both games and arrived with seven take -away restaurants …
Liverpool does not need Isak
OK, so let's get rid of it obviously: every team in the competition would be better because Alexander Isak is in it.
Isak is one of the best strikers in the world and that is reflected in the £ 150 million price tag that Newcastle United maintains this summer.
But Liverpool does not need him.
Do you want him? Certainly. But do you need it? Don't have, sorry.
The first side of Arne Slot to walk against Athletic Club – a very young person at the time – hit them for four in a 4-1 win. The second XI, full of the big names, followed that with a 3-2 victory.
People will probably point to a potential departure of Darwin Nunez amidst of AC Milan's interest in Italy and Al Hilal in Saudi Aarabia and say: “We need reinforcements to be at the top”.
But Nunez scored 18 goals and added 15 assists the season for the last time. The season before that he scored 15 goals.
Here Nunez ended his night with a goal and an assist. It is premature to reduce losses on a player after a under the par season when the replacement requires that you will fry the British transfer record.
Cody Gakpo, who scored a brace in the second game, showed that he can fill the void that was left behind by Luis Diaz, who went to Bayern Munich, while Hugo Ekitike, who joined Eintracht Frankfurt in an an an an an an an an an an electric pace, for the first time, has been an electric pace for the first time.
Mohamed Salah gets many opportunities, and therefore many goals. Alexis Mac Allister is a real target threat in midfield. Gakpo will score. Nunez will score (if he stays). Ekitike will score.
Nobody looks at this formidable Liverpool -Juggernaut and wonders how many goals are in it.
Isak is certainly an expensive cherry, certainly. But Liverpool can win the lot without him.
Ngumoha is ready to go at the age of 16
If there were ever a memory of the reason why Chelsea was so furious with Liverpool who had Rio Ngumoha of their academy as a 15-year-old, here was a timely memory.
Within two minutes he drove to the area, leaving the players of Athletic Club lagging back due to his pace and strength before he curled spectacularly in the bottom corner. It was the kind of goal that you would expect to score Florian Wirtz, not a 16-year-old.
Ngumoha will be rejected by some because of his age. It is a nonsense argument. Not absorbing him in the first team team this season would be a breach of duty.
It seems doubtful that the end of all people who have handed the teenager his first team debut against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup in January, will be caught on one of the most exciting young players in the country.
Here it was a stunning goal from the range and an assist in a striking display that has become something of a standard during this preseason. Make four goals and help this preseason.
Do you feel comfortable enough to go further from Luis Diaz, who left for Bayern Munich, and run with what you have, is not the gamble that some people have thought on the outside.
Cody Gakpo is currently the primary left wing player, then Wirtz or Hugo Ekitike might get the nod.
But don't be surprised if the rapid development of Ngumoha makes him a real first team option to end this season. Academy Football no longer serves a goal for him if Liverpool has to maximize his superstotential.
After all, age is just a number.
Time for Elliott to take his talents somewhere else
Looking at Harvey Elliott Bury Bury his head in his father's breast after the last home game of last season to hide his tears, to see a fan of Liverpool Liverpool realized that it is time for a change of environment.
In order to see Elliott thriving at the European championships under 21 with a leading role in the Lee Carsley team, who won the tournament player on the way to lifting the Euro-Trophee, was to see a player Metaphorian screaming to become a chief in the Premier League.
Liverpool fans keep for the most part of Elliott. He is incredibly easy to run and when he plays he plays well.
The problem is that he doesn't play often, not under Arne Slot. His only Premier League start arrived last season after Liverpool had already conquered the league title.
Even here in the Athletic Club Double-Header, Elliott was part of the first XI, a considerably younger line-up that mainly consisted of players on the periphery, Alexis Mac Allister aside.
The interest in Elliott is not scarce and his clear performances here came as a timely memory of his lovers to get a step to land him.
Elliott got a goal and finished as the most accurate passer (96%) to play 45 minutes or more in the opening match.
He is too talented to look another season from the sidelines if he knows that he can go and the center of a Premier League team can be elsewhere.
If heart rules control the head, Elliott will kick himself in 12 months …
Write Salah at your danger
I recently saw some ridiculous rhetoric that the drop of Mohamed Salah is around the corner. Some dared to suggest that the drop -off this season will raise its ugly head.
The same people will reject the following argument with the fact that 'it is only for the season'.
Yet here was Salah, fit as a violin and dominating without coming out of second gear.
His link-up game with Hugo Ekitike should let Liverpool fans drool and with so much creativity in this side with Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ngumoha, Mac Allister, Gakpo and more, Salah will have more than enough chances to cruise to another gold boot.
The goal of Salah here where he gave the goalkeeper the eyes to convert the left wings of Ekitike was one of the easier goals he will score this season.
He will score a lot – again. Be warned.
Writing him is just stupid (but let's just cover the punishment he sent to the moon …!)
Jota -Teerbetoon was a touch of class
This was Liverpool's first match in Anfield since the tragic death of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
It created an emotionally charged atmosphere and the exciting representation of 'Youl Never Walk Alone' and the wreaths laid by Liverpool -Legend Phil Thompson and Athletic Club chairman Jon Uriarte, as players who stop in the twentieth minute to Applaudis would see, so many Latepools would like Latepool.
Andy Robertson looked choked when he wiped his eyes during the minute's applause and nobody could blame him.
Jota's legacy will live for a long time further than this friendly double header, but a difficult day was treated with grace and class and everyone in Liverpool earns enormous credit.
Signing the centerpiece must be the priority, not a striker
Virgil van Dijk missed these friendly competitions due to illness and that can happen. Van Dijk is as good as he is.
It meant that in the first match Andy Robertson went in to central and was collaborated by the young midfielder Trey Nyoni. In the second game, Ibrahima Konate played next to Wataru Endo.
Two partnerships, three players in improvised roles outside their 'main position'.
Liverpool admitted in both games, expired concentration that can happen on each side in the preseason.
But it did emphasize how strong the drop-off is when Van Dijk, for whatever reason, is not good to go.
Nyoni did well in the opening match and made some smart interceptions, while Konate was diligent in the second diligent.
This Liverpool team is rightly favorites to defend their title and to win the Premier League again after building a team with so few holes in it.
However, there is a hole in the middle of the back and that should now be their priority. Sew that on and this side will be a thorn in the side of their rivals for the coming years.
Pecsi looks rough
To look, Armin Pecsi is as far away from intimidating in goal as you can get.
On the 20-year-old the peace came for Freddie Woodman to make his Anfield debut and although it is a small sample size, there is every reason to see PECSI as a diamond in the rough.
Pecsi's £ 1.5 million relocation This summer has almost flown under the radar for everyone outside of Merseyside, but it feels quite conceivable that Liverpool could still have a money-spinning goalkeepers in the books, just as they did with Caoimhin Kelleher, who joined Brentford in a deal in a deal that rises to £ 18m.
An error on the back of fellow younger Luca Stephenson ruined Pecsi's hope for a clean slate, but his beautiful one-on-one saved to deny Gorka Guruzeta, attracted a lot of praise.
The 20-year-old has so much room to grow, but the early signs are incredibly clear … to the great frustration of rivals, undoubtedly.