Liverpool have had a perfect start to their new Premier League campaign with three wins from their first three league games.
The Reds were far from their best in all the games, but they somehow found a way to grab all three points.
The defending Premier League champions have exceptional depth and on a couple of occasions it was the substitutes who stepped up and turned the game in their favour.
It was Federico Chiesa, who came on and scored against Bournemouth followed by a late winner by Rio Ngumoha against Newcastle United away from home.
Chiesa started the new campaign on a position note after struggling with injuries and form and only featuring in 14 appearances last season across all competition.
The Italian was in contention to leave Anfield this summer but eventually he decided to fight for his spot especially with Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez's departure.
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What did Arne Slot say about Chiesa following Champions League omission?
Despite his great start to the season, Chiesa was left out of Liverpool's 22-man Champions League squad.
The 27-year-old was the most high-profile omission from the roster as Arne Slot has preferred teenage sensation Ngumoha over him.
However, Slot revealed that the Italian was understandably upset with the decision, but he praised him for his positive attitude in training.
“Of course, that is one of the most difficult things you have to do as a manager,” Slot told reporters ahead of Burnley clash when they asked about Chiesa’s omission.
“For a player not to play, that’s not always easy to tell him, but to not be in the squad is always more difficult.
“I just explained to him why we made this choice, and of course he wasn’t happy with that, but I think he understood my arguments.
“Not to say that he agreed with them – he didn’t tell me, by the way, that he didn’t agree with them – but he gave the answer you want to hear from a player.
“[He told me] that he will be to help the team in the cups and in the league – and that’s one thing to say, but I think he also showed this, because he wasn’t selected but he worked really hard to be ready for the upcoming games.
“That is even more important than what a player tells you.”
Liverpool news and related links
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