3 talking points from Liverpool's pre-season draw with Greuther Furth

Liverpool continued their pre-season campaign with an entertaining 4-4 draw over German side Greuther Furth on Monday afternoon, thanks to goals from Luis Diaz, Darwin Nuñez and Mohamed Salah.

Once again, Jurgen Klopp fielded two separate starting XI’s (one in each half), to spread the game time and build up the fitness levels of all involved in the Germany camp.

Liverpool finished the first half strongly, with a 1-0 lead thanks to Diaz’s goal. Nuñez’s double put Liverpool 3-1 ahead after the break, before a rapid-fire Furth attack took the German side into a 4-3 lead. However, a late Salah goal ended the encounter all square.

Here are three talking points from the Reds’ second pre-season match.

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Dofy Gakpo is a really good footballer (wherever you play him)

Cody Gakpo started today’s match in a roaming number 10 role — a change from the wing or centre forward positions Liverpool fans have been more used to seeing the Dutchmen during his first six months at Anfield.

The 24-year-old quickly put any doubts over his versatility to bed, as he produced a beautiful 45-minute cameo from the deeper role in Germany.

Despite his 6ft 4in frame, Gakpo still has an elegant, silky style and his first touches on Monday were excellent — seemingly creating space out of nothing.

The Dutchmen linked up brilliantly with the likes of Diaz, Diogo Jota and Ben Doak ahead of him, and didn’t seem out of place one bit in his new role. Much has been said about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s positional change into the midfield, but Gakpo’s same move into a more fluid attacking role has been mentioned much less.

If the attacker's pre-season form continues, he will surely be one of the first names on the team sheet on 13 August, as the Reds open their campaign against Chelsea.

Conor Bradley may be the next Trent

Another first-half starter in Germany was 20-year-old Conor Bradley who seems destined for first-team action after returning from a loan spell at Bolton Wanderers last season.

With Alexander-Arnold’s potential positional change, coupled with Calvin Ramsey and James Milner's exits, chances at right-back role may well be up for grabs — especially in the cup competitions

The Northern Irish international seemed completely unfazed as he completed a back four consisting of Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.

Bradley’s confidence striding forward with the ball, along with his inch perfect passes and last-ditch tackles all showcased a burgeoning talent that certainly will have impressed many watching on at home.

If Klopp decides to keep Alexander-Arnold in his new midfield role, don’t be surprised to see Bradley getting plenty of chances at right back.

Darwin Nuñez finds his cool

He may not be Erling Haaland, but no defender will want to come up against Darwin Nuñez in 2023/24. Two lovely finishes on Monday, and almost a third to top it off showed what Liverpool's new number nine is all about when he's in the mood.

The Uruguayan’s first goal showed he can be calm under pressure, as his first touch to round the goalkeeper left him with the easy job to tap home into an empty net.

His second effort saw him cutting back from the oncoming defender before slotting the ball to the side of the Furth keeper into the bottom left-hand corner.

He may not be Klopp’s guaranteed starter at this moment of time, but if Nun1ez keeps on scoring the way he is, the German boss will have plenty to think about when deciding on his front line for the big games.