Liverpool manager Arne Slot marked his first match at Anfield with a convincing 4-1 victory over Sevilla. Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp and entered this match following a successful pre-season trip in the United States, where Liverpool secured victories against Real Betis, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
Diogo Jota opened the scoring for Liverpool with a left-foot volley from a pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold. Several key players, including Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Luis Diaz, Virgil van Dijk, and Alexis Mac Allister, made their first pre-season appearances in this match.
Luis Diaz scored two additional goals before halftime, with assists from Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai. After the break, Peque Fernandez netted a goal for Sevilla, but 17-year-old Liverpool substitute Trey Nyoni responded by scoring Liverpool's fourth goal with a precise finish.
Liverpool later played a behind-closed-doors friendly against Las Palmas, where Darwin Nunez made his first pre-season appearance after returning from Copa America duty. Andy Robertson, returning from injury, nearly scored but hit the post in a goalless draw.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, under new manager Enzo Maresca, also played their first match, ending in a 1-1 draw against Italian champions Inter Milan. Maresca took over from Mauricio Pochettino in the summer and had Cole Palmer and Marc Cucurella available for selection after their return from Euro 2024.
Marcus Thuram gave Inter Milan an early lead, but Lesley Ugochukwu equalized for Chelsea in the dying moments of the match. The Blues introduced new signing Pedro Neto, who joined for an initial £51.3 million, along with potential add-ons, to the fans at halftime.
Arsenal concluded their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 victory over Lyon. Defenders William Saliba and Gabriel both scored with headers from corners taken by Declan Rice in the first half. New signing Riccardo Calafiori, who joined from Bologna, made his debut by replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko in the second half.
Crystal Palace faced Nantes in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw. Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen, both linked with moves away from the club, started the match. Jean-Charles Castelletto scored first for Nantes, but Daichi Kamada equalized for the Eagles.
