They are the heavyweights who will be slugging it out at the top all season long - and we’re not just talking about Liverpool and Manchester City this time.
Liverpool do look fitter, sharper and further down the road in their pre-season preparations than City. But, on this evidence, the story will also be about Darwin Nunez up against Erling Haaland in the battle of the new big-money strikers.
Nunez was sensational. He scored, won a penalty and his movement plus mobility for a 6ft 2in target man was so eye-catching that it is no wonder the Liverpool love him already. Haaland, meanwhile, was THE striker everyone wanted, City got him and yet the £51m Norway star could not get on the scoresheet and even missed a sitter at the end.
Though, judging by Haaland’s movement, his pace and desire, he has got all of the attributes to take the Premier League by storm. There is no doubt City will also get better and sharper. But big price tags - Nunez cost £64m rising to a potential £81m - do bring big pressure and that is something that Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk knows all about.
Van Dijk cost £75m when he moved to Liverpool in January 2018 and that now looks an absolute bargain. One of the best deals Liverpool have ever done. Netherlands centre-back van Dijk has no doubt that Nunez can be a huge hit in English football - but insists he must just ignore the price tag on his head.
Van Dijk said: “To score that goal was important, but for him it’s the same as it was for me; the transfer fee is not something you should think about. I don’t think he does. He just has to keep his head down, work hard and be important for the club. I think he showed that. You see he is direct, he makes good runs in behind, he’s quick, he’s strong. I said it before, I think he’s a modern-day striker. Haaland is the same. They have similar attributes, and they are difficult to play against.
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“He [Darwin] showed it. He came on at a time when City were a little bit more fatigued, I think, and caused difficulties for them, scoring and getting the handball. He has to not look at, for example, what all you guys say about him after a game! He has to just focus on himself, on the team, improve, get settled in as quickly as possible.
"The only way to do that is to learn from training, learn from the games you play, and don’t look at what others have to say about you and your performances. That, for me, is the key to success. You can get distracted by all that.”
City were champions last season. Liverpool their closest title challengers. Maybe Tottenham, led by Antonio Conte and having had an eye-catching transfer window, could be the most likely to break up the monopoly of the top two. But the key to success is to build on it.
Liverpool lost Sadio Mane but replaced him with Nunez. Jurgen Klopp refused to stand still and instead has gone in a different direction with Nunez. They now have a focal point rather than a runner. But he must work hard like Roberto Firmino.
Van Dijk added: “Obviously he is a totally different player to Sadio, for example. But we have moved on, we got him in, different player, different qualities, and we can use those in a positive way.
"It was a good start, but it’s only a start. Hopefully there will be many more times, and we are all confident. We play in a way that, as a striker, you do a lot of defending as well. That’s something strikers have to learn. Bobby obviously mastered it and I think he’s one of the best ones in that position to do it.
"For Darwin to learn from Bobby, but also bring his own qualities into the game with runs in behind, mixing it up, it’s good. He can mix it up, and he can defend from the front.” Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected shot went in off Nathan Ake who looked City’s weakest link. But VAR overturned an offside flag and Julian Alvarez got them level before Mo Salah’s penalty and then Nunez rounded off a hugely impressive win and statement by Liverpool.
