A look at how the national media reported on Liverpool's Community Shield penalty shootout loss to Crystal Palace
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English football's annual curtain raiser went the way of FA Cup holders Crystal Palace as Arne Slot suffered a second successive defeat as Liverpool head coach at Wembley on Sunday, via a penalty-shootout loss.
After Hugo Ekitike had given the Reds the lead with an eye-catching early strike, the Eagles replied through Jean-Philippe Mateta's penalty before Jeremie Frimpong's attempt at a cross caught Dean Henderson out before half time.
Ismaila Sarr fired in an equaliser for Palace to take the game to penalties where they triumphed 3-2 to lift the Community Shield in a game attended by over 82,000 on the day.
The ECHO, as ever, was there on the day to provide our usual array of match-day coverage. From our big-match verdict to player ratings, post-match analysis and reaction from Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk, we had you covered every step of the way. Our colleagues from the national media were also on hand to give their own considered takes. Here's the best of that coverage.
The Times' Paul Joyce writes: "Scoring goals is unlikely to be a problem for Liverpool over the coming months as they endeavour to keep the Premier League trophy at Anfield. Keeping them out? Well, that is another matter entirely.
"For all the attacking riches Slot already boasts, and may yet add to, his pre-match lament that his players were giving away too many chances proved an apt observation.
"Liverpool led twice as the curtain came up on the new season with the Community Shield and might have scored four with new signings Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz weaving pretty patterns.
"Yet Crystal Palace continually pegged them back, threatened to score four themselves and eventually held their nerve as a low quality penalty shoot-out ensued.
"Change has also been necessary for Liverpool, in part due to the players they have sold, but also because of a determination to stay ahead of the chasing pack.
"What is clear is that it will take some teams time to decipher his new-look side from an offensive sense given the speed, fluidity and interchanges with which they will attack."
Rich Jolly, of The Independent, writes: "For Ekitike, the £69m striker, there was a goal inside four minutes in his first meaningful match. For Florian Wirtz, the £100m creator, an assist just as quickly. For Frimpong, the £30m right-back charged with replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, there was a Wembley goal on debut, whether or not he meant it.
"At the end, though, there was a reminder that Palace can be redoubtable opponents; they twice dragged themselves back into the game. Jean-Philippe Mateta, who scored spot kicks in both the match and the shootout, levelled the first time after Virgil van Dijk tripped Sarr. The Liverpool captain had missed the Bilbao games with illness and showed signs of rustiness on his return.
"Then Sarr escaped behind Kerkez for his goal and the early cause for concern may be that, terrific as Liverpool looked going forward, there were signs of frailty at the back. A defender who had been linked with joining their summer influx, Guehi, instead lifted the Community Shield for Palace.
"Liverpool could at least savour the way it started. The first half produced two goals and an assist for the newcomers from an outlay approaching £300m.
"Ekitike made a flying start and hinted at brilliance. He took Wirtz’s pass, angling a shot from 18 yards into the far corner of Henderson’s goal. A forward who was not always clinical for Eintracht Frankfurt last season could have had a hat-trick but headed wide from perhaps four yards and shot past the post from eight.
"Nevertheless, Liverpool could derive optimism from the way he combined with Wirtz; there were signs of chemistry. Slot’s new-look team have the potential to be potent."
The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele dedicates a portion of the coverage to Ekitike, writing: "Hugo Boss. That is the catchline that will follow Hugo Ekitike every time he makes a decisive contribution to Liverpool's season.
"And that is probably the problem. Hugo is the boss but he is also the assistant and the third in command, too. If the new £79million striker gets injured, who else is there to lead the line?
"The answer is, well, no one. He is the only senior No 9 at the club with Darwin Nunez completing a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal. Luis Diaz, who often led the line last season, also departed this month for Bayern Munich.
"Everyone at the football club is still in mourning, too, over the devastating and tragic death of striker Diogo Jota last month. Highly-rated teenage striker Jayden Danns has barely kicked a ball in the last year due to a troubling back injury and, realistically, needs a loan move.
"So although Liverpool recouped nearly £120m for the sales of South American duo Diaz and Nunez, which represents canny business, there is definitely the feeling that the Reds go into the season at least one man light in the attacking department."
Over on The Mirror's pages, Felix Keith pens: "When a team forks out £116million for a player, you assume they will immediately become a key part of the side. And after glimpses of excitement throughout pre-season here was confirmation that Florian Wirtz will be given free reign in the Liverpool side.
"'I think I'm a player who needs freedom on the pitch, and the manager gives it to me,' Wirtz said earlier this week. “Of course, I have to respect the position I’m in and the players around me, but I try to give my best on the pitch and find the right places, and I have the freedom for this here.'
"The 22-year-old put that philosophy into practice at Wembley, gliding around the pitch to find space, link play and cause Palace problems. It was from his pass that Ekitike opened the scoring and there were many other instances of a relationship developing between Liverpool's two most expensive summer signings."
And in the ECHO's verdict, we say: "The decision to bring off the impressive Ektike with 20 minutes remaining highlighted two things however. As Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai took up positions to see them both play as No.10s without a recognised striker - in the manner that proved so fruitful at Manchester City last season - it also brought the lack of senior depth to the fore in that position currently.
"Liverpool, of course, saw a £110m bid for Alexander Isak rebuffed earlier this month and the feeling persists that they will re-enter those negotiations once the Magpies are finally able to bring in the sort of quality that would replace the gifted Sweden international.
"Slot might well have simply been trying out a different system and alternative tactics for the final 20 minutes or so here at Wembley and he could claim that Wirtz's versatility meant he was being trialled as something of a 'false 9'. But Ekitike, oddly for a club whose summer spending has been so lavish, has few competitors for that central spot just now. Federico Chiesa clearly remains a peripheral figure.
"Liverpool are insistent another frontman will be targeted following Nunez's exit to Saudi Arabia. Expect some developments, then, on this fascinating Isak transfer saga."