Monday saw Liverpool and La Liga opponents Athletic Bilbao play out two separate preseason friendly matches that saw a lot of pulsating action and several standout stars.
It was the final dress rehearsal for Arne Slot before his charges get ready to kickoff against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield this coming weekend.
So, with that backdrop, I'm here to share some of the most important things we learned from 180 minutes of action at Anfield.
Rio Ngumoha is ready for the big-time
The scintillating 16-year old winger wasted little time in making his mark in the first friendly of the day as he scored a terrific goal inside two minutes before getting an assist for another.
It was his goal, picking up the ball near midfield and driving forward with belief and pace before he opened his hips at the edge of the box and curled in a delightful shot into the far post, that opened the scoring.
It's that kind of dynamism that has seen Ngumoha explode onto the scene this preseason as he has been scoring and creating goals for fun all summer long. He was a constant menace for near an hour on Monday before slightly fading out of the match.
He will surely be a part of the first team this season and seeing him excel in some cup matches for example would not surprise me at all.
On a day other youth products like Trey Nyoni, Ben Doak and more shined, it was Rio Ngumoha that stood alone as the marquee option.
Liverpool have a gem on their hands.
Liverpool could have the most potent attack in Europe
This is to say nothing of the potential arrival of Alexander Isak from Newcastle, but the Reds might have the most electric group of attacking options around.
Florian Wirtz put on a show in the second match of the day as he was delviering delightful passes, making late bombing runs into the box and more. He was a whirlwind of technical brilliance that gave a glimpse of why the club paid so much for him.
However, it wasn't just the German that impressed on Monday. The aforementioned Ngumoha was superb as was Cody Gakpo (2 goals), Hugo Ekitike (1 assist), Mohamed Salah (1 goal) and others.
There were moments during the second match where Slot's men were playing breathless attacking football and looked like they would never be beaten.
If this is them still learning to play together. other clubs better begin planning their defensive strategies now and not wait, and it still might not be enough.
The fluidity across the attack while being linked to the midfield was something wonderful to watch and it's clear Liverpool will be playing more on the front foot this season, which is saying something for the club that scored the most Premier League goals a season ago.
Defending Set-pieces will be the focus this week
Both Bilbao goals in the second match came from set-pieces and that is something Arne Slot mentioned in his post-match interview as a focus to work on.
With all of the height now at Liverpool, defending these events should be much easier than we have seen in the past. However, this is what preseason is for and learning the small things that can be tweaked here and there to improve the overall result is never a bad option.
With so much change at the club, communication and clearly defined roles in the box will be essential as we move forward so it's key that Slot gets everyone on the same page.
With a set-piece heavy side in Palace up next, the next few days at training will be extra important to drive this message home.
It's one of the few kinks we've seen in the armor, but it's not an epidemic or major concern now, but it must be addressed.
Ryan Gravenberch will be essential once again
The Dutchman was at his best on Monday as he was intercepting passes, snapping into challenges while also getting forward more than we became accustomed to a season ago.
He showed his typical smoothness on the ball and he was gliding in and around defenders to keep the ball moving forward. He linked up several times with the forwards which showcased his true all-around game.
However, it will still be at the base of the midfield where he finds his most important role, as his ability to read the game before it happens is a great gift.
He reminded us again that he will be almost undroppable and he is already in fine form as the new season is soon to arrive.
Gravenberch appears ready to build on his brilliant 2024/25 campaign which would be a huge boost for Liverpool this term.