Liverpool vs Arsenal - five winners and losers as Harvey Elliott shines in front of sold-out crowd

Liverpool secured their second victory in two friendlies under new manager Arne Slot, defeating Arsenal 2-1 in front of a historic, sold-out crowd in Philadelphia.

Initially, the Reds had difficulty implementing Slot's more deliberate approach against Arsenal's relentless pressure, frequently losing possession deep in their defensive third and narrowly avoiding falling behind.

However, the first-half goals came from the wide players, with Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho converting two excellent passes from Harvey Elliot t to establish a crucial two-goal lead within 33 minutes. Kai Havertz reduced the gap by scoring a scrambled goal, but despite dominating the second half, the Gunners failed to find an equalizer. Here are five winners and losers from Wednesday's friendly match.

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Elliott excited Reds fans once again with his return to midfield on Wednesday, dismantling the Arsenal defense with two superb passes. His initial contribution led to a swift Liverpool counterattack, aided by Diogo Jota's impressive hold-up play, and he delivered a perfectly timed pass to meet Salah's quick diagonal run, who outran the Gunner's defense and scored with a left-footed finish.

Elliott once again took control near the penalty area 20 minutes later, lofting a sublime chip to Fabio Carvalho. With plenty of room at the goalmouth, the left-winger slammed his volley into the bottom corner and immediately embraced Elliott in celebration.

The 21 year old had been relatively quiet in Liverpool's first match, pairing up with Dominik Szoboszlai as an unconventional centre-forward pair. Elliott has openly discussed the challenges of adjusting to Slot's coaching style, but his performance on Wednesday highlighted his versatility and trust in the Dutch manager.

"It's very hard," Elliott confessed to Liverpool.com regarding the shift to Slot's management. "You know, it's a completely different style of play, completely different style of tactics but, you know, that's what happens in football. You need to adapt, you need to learn it."

Dominik Szoboszlai took a step back from his usual attacking role to join Curtis Jones as Liverpool's secondary defensive midfielder, showcasing the critical nature of these double pivots in Slot's strategy during the Reds' second friendly. Although Szoboszlai has mainly played as a No.8 since joining Anfield last summer, his performance in a more defensive position on Wednesday was outstanding, potentially addressing a significant gap in the Liverpool squad.

The Hungarian maestro, Szoboszlai, was a rock in possession and showcased his defensive prowess early, snuffing out a dangerous Arsenal attack with a slick sliding interception. His technical wizardry shone through as he set up Liverpool's second goal, dancing past Martin Odegaard to tee up Harvey Elliott, despite a tricky first touch.

Hungary's head coach Marco Rossi has suggested that Szoboszlai might shine brightest as a defensive midfielder, and more top-notch performances like this could ease the worries of Liverpool fans concerned about the club's quiet transfer window.

It was almost a calamitous outing for Caoimhin Kelleher. Liverpool's young goalkeeper had a rough start after his early attempted pass was intercepted by an Arsenal player.

Despite his struggles, Kelleher made some crucial contributions that helped secure Liverpool's victory. His well-placed 50-yard ball to Jota and a critical second-half save were key moments in maintaining Liverpool's slim 2-1 lead.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko continues to struggle defensively. Arsenal fans have expressed concerns about the Ukrainian's performance, as he allowed Salah to drive Liverpool's attack forward several times.

Zinchenko was particularly exposed during Liverpool's rapid opening goal, unable to keep up with the Egyptian's run from midfield.