A moment of magic from Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic against Manchester United during their pre-season friendly clash could have Reds supporters very excited for the upcoming season .
Arne Slot's men ran out 3-0 winners against Dutch compatriot Erik ten Hag's side at the Williams–Brice Stadium in South Carolina, with goals from from Fabio Carvalho , Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas seeing the Reds past their rivals.
Against United, Slot opted to field a three-man midfield or sorts, with Jones operating as the deepest of the trio alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott , who played in more of a number 10 role. With Liverpool in control of the contest after Tsimikas' 61st-minute goal, Slot decided to make a host of substitutions, one of which saw Bajcetic come on for Gravenberch.
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And it took just under 10 minutes for the young Spanish midfielder to show just how good he is. On 73 minutes, Liverpool built out from the back, with Bajcetic dropping deep to receive the ball from the Reds defense. However, instead of collecting the pass fired into his feet, the 19-year-old decided to let the ball roll past him and into space.
Bajcetic's decision effectively allowed him to beat United's press, with Christian Eriksen left chasing shadows. The Reds midfielder then turned and showed the Dane a clean pair of heels, driving upfield past United's midfield to set Liverpool on their way. It was a moment of magic from the teenager who spent plenty of time on the sidelines last season.
What did you make of Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United? Let us know in the comments section below.
During the 2022/23 campaign, Bajcetic broke into Liverpool's first team, making 19 senior appearances for the Reds before an adductor injury in April derailed his season. He made just one appearance for the Reds in the Premier League during 2023/24, making a 25-minute cameo off the bench against Tottenham in Liverpool's 4-2 win back in May.
He spent the majority of Jurgen Klopp's final campaign at Anfield sidelined with a calf injury, but has featured during pre-season under Slot this summer, hinting that he could be set for a part in the Dutchman's first team plans this season.
With Liverpool lacking a real top quality defensive midfielder, they may believe they have that player in Bajcetic but are keen to avoid another injury setback which would see him miss more first-team action.
Liverpool.com says: Bajcetic looks a real player. He could be the out-and-out number six that Liverpool has been looking for. The 19-year-old plays much older than his age and his game has a good blend of technical ability and athleticism. It will be interesting to see just how much Slot looks to use him this season, especially if Liverpool opt to not bring in a defensive midfielder this summer.
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