Liverpool’s principal owner John W Henry was inside Anfield to see the club’s record-equalling win over Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
The Fenway Sports Group chief was spotted in the stands alongside with his wife, Linda Pizzuti, and will have been delighted by what he saw, with the Reds piling on the goals in a 9-0 victory to end their winless start to the Premier League season in style.
Roberto Firmino and Luis Diaz were the main stars, with both forwards scoring twice, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho all got on the scoresheet alongside a Chris Mepham own goal.
It was a dominant performance from Jurgen Klopp’s side, especially considering the context. Liverpool were beaten 2-1 at Old Trafford by Manchester United on Monday following draws against Fulham and Crystal Palace and have been struggling with injuries.
Their struggles could be why Henry has made the trip over the Atlantic to Liverpool, with the club now actively looking to sign a midfielder before the summer transfer window closes on Thursday at 11pm. Klopp had always rejected the idea that his side needed to bring in a new midfielder, but publicly backtracked on that stance in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“That changed of course,” he said. “I know we have had this discussion since it all started and I am the one who said we don’t need a midfielder and you were all right and I was wrong.
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"That’s the situation. There is really nothing more to say about it. We are looking for it, and if it is the right player we need him and if it is not the right player we don’t need him.”
So far this summer Liverpool have signed Carvalho, Darwin Nunez and Calvin Ramsay. After the thumping win over Bournemouth, Klopp added: “I've already said everything I need to say about a new midfielder… if there is the right midfielder, we might do something.”
Liverpool are known admirers of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, but are unlikely to be able to seal a transfer for the England international in the next few days. But there are more available players on the market, including Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans and Lyon’s Houssem Aouar to consider.
Klopp is currently without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara and Naby Ketia due to injury. In their absence he started Elliott alongside Jordan Henderson and Fabinho against Bournemouth, with James Milner, Carvalho and youngster Stefan Bajcetic all featuring off the substitutes’ bench.
Klopp has been clear that Liverpool will not panic and move for a player just for the sake of it over the coming days. “One thing stays important, and it’s that it needs to be the right player,” he said on Friday. “If we do something it’ll be that we are 100 per cent convinced about it, and if we are not convinced, then we don’t do it.”
