Liverpool Still a Work in Progress, Slot Says, despite Perfect Pre-Season Tour

Liverpool's Japanese midfielder #03 Wataru Endo vies for the ball during the pre-season club friendly football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, August 3, 2024. (AFP)
Liverpool's Japanese midfielder #03 Wataru Endo vies for the ball during the pre-season club friendly football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, August 3, 2024. (AFP)
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Liverpool Still a Work in Progress, Slot Says, despite Perfect Pre-Season Tour

Liverpool's Japanese midfielder #03 Wataru Endo vies for the ball during the pre-season club friendly football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, August 3, 2024. (AFP)
Liverpool's Japanese midfielder #03 Wataru Endo vies for the ball during the pre-season club friendly football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina, August 3, 2024. (AFP)

New Liverpool manager Arne Slot said his side still have room for improvement despite wrapping up their pre-season tour of the United States with a 3-0 win over Manchester United in South Carolina on Saturday.

Slot, who replaced Juergen Klopp in May, also guided Liverpool to wins over Arsenal and Real Betis. They face Sevilla next at Anfield before visiting promoted Ipswich Town for their Premier League opener on Aug. 17.

Asked if he was pleased with his side's performances so far, the Dutchman said: "Yes, I was but not with all of them. We are very happy with the result, we scored some really nice goals ... very positive tour.

"But I don't think we had enough control over the game, I think we gave away too many chances. United deserved more than a 3-0 loss but it's also our quality that we do score our own chances.

"We will see how players (returning from holidays) fit into the team. We need to work hard in the upcoming two weeks to be ready."



Afghanistan Judoka Positive for Steroid in 3rd Doping Case at Olympics

Spectators cheer holding French flags ahead of the men's +100 kg final match in the team judo competition, as they watch from a fan zone set up at the Club France, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Spectators cheer holding French flags ahead of the men's +100 kg final match in the team judo competition, as they watch from a fan zone set up at the Club France, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
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Afghanistan Judoka Positive for Steroid in 3rd Doping Case at Olympics

Spectators cheer holding French flags ahead of the men's +100 kg final match in the team judo competition, as they watch from a fan zone set up at the Club France, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Spectators cheer holding French flags ahead of the men's +100 kg final match in the team judo competition, as they watch from a fan zone set up at the Club France, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

A judoka from Afghanistan tested positive at the Paris Olympics for the anabolic steroid that sprinter Ben Johnson used at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Mohammad Samim Faizad gave a sample at his opening bout that tested positive for stanozolol, the International Testing Agency said Saturday. It was the third failed drug test at the Paris Games.

He lost his only bout in the men’s 81-kilogram class to Wachid Borchashvili of Austria on Tuesday.

Faizad turns 22 during the Olympics, from which he has been removed. He was the only athlete based in Afghanistan on its team of three men and three women in Paris.