Jeremy Jacquet finally hit the pitch for Liverpool, and man, did he make it count, scoring on his debut in their 2-0 win over Serie A side Como. This wasn’t just any friendly goal, either. It was the cherry on top of a clean sheet victory, signaling that the Reds might just have found a crucial piece for their backline after some seriously shaky performances.
The Price Tag, The Injury, The Debut: Jacquet Delivers
Talk about making an entrance, right? This 21-year-old French centre-back, a massive £60m transfer agreed way back in January, had been stuck on the sidelines with a niggling knee injury since his move was confirmed on July 1. But against Cesc Fabregas’ Como, Jacquet finally got his chance, starting alongside Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk for the first time. From the jump, you could see the confidence. He was impressing early on, timing those last-ditch challenges expertly, looking like he’d been there all season. Then, in the 44th minute, he rounded off a brilliant first appearance in red with a tap-in from Cody Gakpo’s cross, pushing Liverpool into a comfortable 2-0 lead. The France Under-21 international showed exactly why the club shelled out the big money, and his arrival in the starting XI is a massive sigh of relief for anyone watching this team.
A Much-Needed Clean Sheet and What Comes Next
That clean sheet against Como was HUGE. Before this game, Liverpool’s defense was looking a bit, well, alarming. They had conceded seven goals in recent defeats against Leeds United and Monaco. So for Andoni Iraola’s squad to shut down Como, it’s a huge confidence booster, and Jacquet’s immediate impact at the back surely played a part. The first goal of the match came in the 23rd minute, with Jeremie Frimpong’s good work leading to a fine finish from Cody Gakpo to put Liverpool up 1-0. Iraola has to be encouraged by what he witnessed in that first half, with the team looking sharp and defensively sound. The second half was a bit lacklustre, sure, but Ryan Gravenberch still managed to clip the top of the crossbar after some fine play from Victor Munoz, showing there was still some attacking spark. Jacquet was replaced by another debutant, Ronald Araujo, at half-time, giving fans a glimpse of more new talent.
Now, the real grind begins. Liverpool has just one week to prepare for the start of their Premier League campaign. They’ll face Newcastle at St James’ Park this Sunday at 16:30 BST. With Jacquet back and looking this good, and a much-needed clean sheet under their belt, they’ll be hoping this final friendly is the momentum they need to kick off the season strong. That’s the kind of debut that tells you everything you need to know about a player, and for Liverpool fans, it’s a sign of exciting things to come.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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