Scout Notes – Pre-Season – Saturday Part One

Sadio Mane returns and Mohamed Salah scores again as Liverpool continue to impress, as does Arsenal new boy Sead Kolasinac in the Gunners’ 5-2 win over Benfica.

Elsewhere, Chelsea suffer another defeat and Leicester City get even duller, although Watford make their own boredom bid in a goalless draw at Villa Park.

Wins for Bournemouth and Swansea City and a draw for Crystal Palace also feature in part one of our round-up of Saturday’s packed pre-season schedule.

Hertha BSC 0 Liverpool 3

Liverpool’s attacking riches were on full display in Berlin as they made short work of their German opponents.

Dominic Solanke, Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah, with his third strike of the summer, got the goals, with assists coming from Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho.

The return – and immediate impact – of Mane doesn’t exactly help Fantasy managers in their quest to find assured starters among Jurgen Klopp’s abundance of attacking talent.

The Senegal international was given his first minutes since injury in April – the one and only reason why he is currently owned by just 4.8% of FPL managers. If he can kick on from his fine start, that figure will rise but competition among the Reds attackers will only intensify.

Coutinho continued his burgeoning relationship with Salah as the pair linked for their second goal of pre-season. It left Jurgen Klopp purring in his post-match press conference.

“I think players like this understand each other. It’s a good thing with having players of this quality. They can connect. The pass from Phil was very nice and the finish from Salah wasn’t too bad also.”

Unless the Brazilian is lured away by Barcelona, the duo look about the only nailed-on players in Klopp’s attacking plans, a fact reflected in their ownership levels. Salah is on 14.6%, Coutinho 31.8%. Only one other player, Roberto Firmino, is above 10%.

Solanke did his cause no harm either, scoring for the second time in a Liverpool shirt. He only started, however, because Divock Origi was withdrawn as a precaution after feeling tightness in his hamstring. Klopp revealed post-match that the striker “felt a bit of cramp.”

Klopp lined up with a 4-3-3 as Joe Gomez proved his fitness to provide further competition to Nathaniel Clyne at right-back. New signing Andrew Robertson came on for his debut after the break, while Emre Can was handed his first minutes of the summer.

Liverpool XI: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip (Flanagan 76), Klavan, Moreno (Robertson 46); Can (Ejaria 57), Lallana (Henderson 46), Wijnaldum (Salah 46); Mane (Firmino 46), Coutinho (Kent 70), Solanke (Sturridge 46).

Arsenal 5 Benfica 2

Theo Walcott led the way with a double against Benfica, although new man Sead Kolasinac was – from a Fantasy perspective – the star of the show.

Deployed at left wing-back in Arsene Wenger’s 3-4-2-1 set-up, the Bosnian had a hand in three of Arsenal’s goals, providing Walcott’s equaliser before the Englishman scored his second from a Francis Coquelin pass, with Kolisanic again heavily involved.

As ever, it should be remembered that great pre-season performances don’t always translate to the real thing – not even against Benfica. The last time the two teams met, Yaya Sanogo scored four.

But Kolasinac is starting to look difficult to ignore. The defender’s attacking instincts, either as part of a back three or from wing-back, are coming to the fore and Arsenal’s attractive opening schedule – only trips to Liverpool and Chelsea offer truly tricky tests over the first eight Gameweeks – further adds to his appeal.

Arsene Wenger, speaking post-match, was certainly happy to talk up his new signing.

“I think he has gone, in pre-season, from strength to strength. He started a bit nervous, but every single week he moved his level up and in the last game was already good and today again I think he was influential as well. The first two goals came from him. He looks powerful, and the timing of his availability going forward was very good.”

The only mystery now is why 13.8% of FPL managers prefer Hector Bellerin to the Bosnian (5.9%).

Further strikes came from an own goal, Olivier Giroud, Alex Iwobi, who now has two goals and as many assists this summer. Nelson and Giroud provided assists, with that man Kolasinac again involved in the build-up for the final goal.

Alexandre Lacazette had to be content with a cameo role from the bench, introduced in support and operating behind lone striker Giroud when he arrived from the bench.

We can surely expect to see Lacazette in the Gunners’ starting line-up against Sevilla later today. Coquelin will be a doubt after sustaining an injury which saw him withdrawn in the first half.

Elsewhere, the future of Alexis Sanchez provided an unwanted backdrop to Saturday’s clash – and no doubt Sundays.

Wenger confirmed post-match that the Chilean was suffering from flu but was due to return to team training next week, again seemingly adamant that Sanchez would remain at the club.

“He has flu, yes. I had him on text yesterday. He will come back as soon as possible and we were in touch with him and his doctor and he has no basic problem apart from the fact that he should come back tomorrow, but he comes back on Tuesday.”

Arsenal XI: Ospina ; Holding (Chambers 46), Mertesacker, Maitland-Niles (Monreal 73); Nelson (Oxlade-Chamberlain 73), Kolasinac, Xhaka (Ramsey 72), Coquelin (Elneny 33); Walcott (Lacazette 73), Iwobi (Ozil 72); Giroud.

Chelsea 1 Inter Milan 2

Chelsea’s forgettable stay in Singapore ended in a second consecutive defeat, although new striker Alvaro Morata at least earned his first start for the Blues.

Blues coach Antonio Conte chose to play both the Spaniard and Michy Batshuayi, and it was the latter who looked far more convincing throughout.

Batshuayi took on the majority of duties as the central striker in a fluid attack as part of Conte’s 3-4-3 formation. Morata was largely deployed on the left of the attacking three, but swapped roles with Batshuayi on occasions.

Batshuayi played 89 minutes and was unlucky not to score an equaliser when he was wrongly ruled offside as Chelsea responded well to going two down.

Post-match, Conte offered little doubt that he was looking for more from Morata.

“Morata is having training with us and for sure he has to improve a lot his physical condition to go quickly to the idea of our football,’ he added, ‘but he is working very well and today he tried to do his best but for sure he has to improve.”

That could indicate that the in-form Batshuayi has every chance of starting the season in Chelsea’s starting XI, either in place of or alongside the Spaniard.

Thibaut Courtois was equally unfortunate when he saved a Stevan Jovetic penalty, only for the former Man City player to fire home the rebound. Cesar Azpilicueta had given away the spot-kick – his pre-season form has been patchy at best.

Manchester United target Ivan Perisic then hit what turned out to be the winner, before a spectacular long range own goal from Geoffrey Kondogbia handed Chelsea some hope.

Antonio Rudiger saw his first action for the Blues, replacing the ineffectual Marcos Alonso as Azpilicueta moved to right wing-back and Victor Moses swapped to the other flank. Rudiger looked impressive on his brief debut to offer Conte food for thought and place some uncertainty on Chelsea’s defensive set-up heading into the Community Shield on Sunday.

Chelsea XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta (Tomori 89), David Luiz, Cahill (Clarke-Salter 89); Moses (Cuevas 89), Kante (Pasilic 89), Fabregas (Scott 89), Alonso (Rudiger 53); Willian (Musonda 65), Batshuayi (Remy 89), Morata (Boga 65).

FC Metz 1 Crystal Palace 1

Eagles head coach Frank de Boer again opted for a 3-4-3 formation as the popular Wilfried Zaha – a 22.7%-owned FPL pick – opened his pre-season account.

The winger dispatched a cross from converted wing-back Andros Townsend, whereas Christian Benteke twice hit the woodwork as he again went goalless.

Patrick van Aanholt was finally preferred to Jeffrey Schlupp on the opposite flank to Townsend, while De Boer handed new signing Jairo Riedewald his first start in a backline that again included defensive midfielder Luka Milivojevic as the right-sided centre-back.

Those wavering between the Serbian, who takes free-kicks and penalties, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as their budget fifth midfielder might well have their minds made up for them by De Boer if he continues to use Milivojevic at the back.

However, recent links with Arsenal’s Calum Chambers would cloud the issue – his arrival would surely see Milivojevic shifted forward to a midfield role, casting doubt on Loftus-Cheek’s start once again.

The coach continued to experiment with his new squad by starting promising Belgian winger Jason Lokilo, who clearly impressed his boss against Maidstone United in the first match of pre-season.

Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey; Milivojevic, Dann (Kelly 60), Riedewald; Townsend, Van Aanholt (Schlupp 70), Puncheon, Loftus-Cheek (Phillips 70); Zaha, Lokilo (Kirby 60); Benteke.

Birmingham City 0 Swansea City 2

A Tammy Abraham goal and Leroy Fer’s deflected strike gave Swansea City their second win of the summer.

Fer also claimed an assist as manager Paul Clement opted for a midfield diamond that included Tom Carroll on the left and Abraham joining Jordan Ayew in a two-man attack.

With Gylfi Sigurdsson again absent as a move to Everton continues to be on the cards, the budget charms of set-piece man Caroll (4.5 in FPL, 7.1 in Sky) remain intact.

And should Fernando Llorente fail to recover from injury by the start of the season, Abraham’s 3.2% ownership base could be in for a boost as well.

Swansea XI: Fabianski (Nordfeldt 61); Naughton (Rangel 78), van der Hoorn (Mawson 61), Bartley, Olsson (Kingsley 78); Mesa (Britton 61), Carroll, Fulton (Routledge 61), Fer; Abraham (McBurnie 85), Ayew (Narsingh 85).

QPR 0 Bournemouth 1

Jordan Ibe scored the only goal of a match in which one of last season’s stars, Josh King, suffered a knock and had to be withdrawn after 61 minutes.

King’s injury was described as minor, while Ibe’s winner was anything but as he surged into the area and slammed a shot into the net.

The midfielder now has two goals from the Cherries’ three pre-season matches to date.

Club captain Simon Francis continued at right-back at Loftus Road, although with Adam Smith currently sidelined through injury, the first choice selection in the Cherries back four is still unclear.

Bournemouth XI: Boruc (Ramsdale 70); Francis, Cargill, Mings, Daniels; Ibe, L Cook, Surman (Worthington 86), Gradel; Mousset (Surridge 81), King (Taylor 61).

Aston Villa 0 Watford 0

Injured skipper Troy Deeney’s appearance among the Watford fans was one of the few highlights of a goalless draw at Villa Park.

The other was a second-half penalty save by Heurelho Gomes after Younes Kaboul’s foul.

Coach Marco Silva opted for an experimental 4-5-1 formation, with Jerome Sinclair flanked in attack by Nordin Amrabat and Roberto Pereyra, who made his first start of pre-season.

The fit-again duo of Craig Cathcart and Tom Cleverley also gained valuable minutes for the first time this summer.

But as two returned, one replaced them, as Christian Kabasele was forced off through injury after just nine minutes. Sebastian Prödl took his place in defence.

Notably, Etienne Capoue was absent from the matchday squad for Saturday’s clash amid reports of a major falling out with Silva. Capoue is currently the most popular FPL midfielder priced at 5.5, with 8.2% ownership.

Watford XI: Gomes (Pantilimon 60); Cathcart, Kabasele (Prodl 9), Kaboul (Femenía 60) , Mason; Cleverley (Watson 60), Doucouré (Hughes 60), Chalobah; Amrabat (Okaka 60), Sinclair, Pereyra (Success 46).

Wolves 1 Leicester City 0

Leicester City fielded a near full-strength side and still struggled as their pre-season woes continued at Wolves.

The Foxes have managed just three goals in five matches this summer, and two of those have come from Riyad Mahrez – a man seemingly keen to be playing anywhere else as soon as possible.

Craig Shakespeare’s decision to play both Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani up front at Molineux failed to spark an improvement in that meagre return.

Slimani later went off with a gash to the back of his knee and was replaced by Shinji Okazaki, while a 70th-minute change in formation to 3-4-3, with Marc Albrighton and Christian Fuchs used as wing-backs, altered the shape of the team but not the outcome of the match.

Leicester now have just two more matches to turn things around before they open the Premier League season with a Friday night trip to Arsenal.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs; Albrighton, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Mahrez; Vardy, Slimani (Okazaki 33).

Part two of the Scout Notes from Saturday will be published later today.

And remember to keep on top of all the summer action with our Pre-Season Guide.