Liverpool’s new head coach Andoni Iraola is using the World Cup as a personal fact-finding mission, assessing inherited players and potential signings to revive a struggling squad.
The Spaniard replaced sacked Arne Slot and arrives from Bournemouth with a clear mandate to rebuild a Liverpool side that endured a miserable defence of their Premier League title last season.
Day four of the tournament gave Iraola plenty to consider, with several Liverpool players and reported targets all in action across multiple fixtures.
Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a then-British record £116m, yet fell well short of expectations throughout a frustrating debut campaign at Anfield.
The 23-year-old German showed far more fluency in his country’s 7-1 opening win against Curacao, producing 39 touches in the final third while playing on the left flank throughout.
Former England striker Chris Sutton, present in Houston for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “The mitigation must be that this was Curacao, but the Liverpool fans who watched the game, especially in the first half, would be wondering if it was the same Florian Wirtz who played for them last season.”
Sutton added: “He was sharp off the left, drifting inside to play quick, incisive passes. He was creative and cunning. He looked unburdened. He was a real menace with Jamal Musiala.”
Wirtz created Germany’s opening goal for Felix Nmecha with the kind of delicate touch and quick thinking that eluded him for much of his time in red, giving Iraola serious food for thought over his best position.
Virgil van Dijk, meanwhile, confirmed his status as a cornerstone of Iraola’s plans by winning man of the match in the Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Japan in Dallas.
The 35-year-old scored a precise header after 51 minutes to give the Dutch the lead, then produced a series of towering headers late on as Japan pressed for a winner.
Ryan Gravenberch provided the assist for Van Dijk’s goal with an inviting cross, a delivery that represents only the second ever World Cup goal scored and assisted by two Liverpool players, after Ian Callaghan set up Roger Hunt against France in 1966.
Gravenberch also assisted Crysencio Summerville’s second goal for the Netherlands, offering Iraola encouragement that the midfielder can rediscover the form that defined Liverpool’s title-winning season under Slot.
Cody Gakpo, however, was more subdued against Japan, falling into the predictable habit of cutting inside that undermined his performances throughout Liverpool’s disappointing campaign last season.
Nineteen-year-old RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande gave Iraola arguably the most exciting footage of the day, delivering a man-of-the-match display as Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0.
Diomande created five chances in total, troubled Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie with one electrifying run in the first half, and registered 22 passes in the attacking third throughout the contest.
Liverpool and Champions League holders Paris St-Germain are both heavily linked with the teenager, who would be expected to fill the vacancy left by the departed Mohamed Salah on the right flank.
There are elements of rawness about Diomande’s game at 19, but his profile aligns closely with Iraola’s track record of developing young talent, including 19-year-old Junior Kroupi and teenage Brazil forward Rayan during his time at Bournemouth.
Alexander Isak gave Iraola perhaps the most personally relieving performance of all, playing a starring role as Sweden thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey to claim man of the match honours.
The 26-year-old striker, who cost a record £125m from Newcastle United, scored only four goals in 22 appearances last season after breaking his leg in December following a period of lost fitness.
Isak robbed Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri to set up a goal for strike partner Viktor Gyokeres in the second half, with the pair becoming only the second Sweden team-mates each to record a goal and an assist in a World Cup match since 1966.
