Joe Gomez admits Liverpool have defensive work to do despite a resounding 4-1 victory against Norwich City on the opening night of the Premier League season.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Divock Origi were among the goals as the Reds ran riot in the first-half.

But the scoreline perhaps masks the fact that the newly-promoted visitors repeatedly caused Liverpool problems with some intricate attacking play.

The Reds had the best defensive record in the league last season and will be looking for a swift return to solidity. 

"We didn’t come into the game underestimating them at all," Gomez told Sky Sports after the match. "They’re here for a reason and the manager warned us that they are going to be a football playing side.

"They played good one-twos and they did get by us a few times. It’s frustrating for us to concede the goal but we have to learn from it and progress."

A feature of their play against the Canaries and indeed in the Community Shield was their high line, which has left them vulnerable at times.

Gomez,  though, feels it is a necessity. 

"The way we want to play we obviously want to play high-pressing football and as a back four we set the tone in a way, we can't stay deep and leave our frontmen to do all the work, then there's a big hole in midfield.

"We want to play high and press on the front-foot." 

Gomez ready for Matip battle

A key selection dilemma for Jurgen Klopp was the identity of Virgil van Dijk's defensive partner.

Gomez had the place largely tied-down before he suffered a leg fracture, with Joel Matip impressively deputising until the end of the season.

The Englishman got the nod on this occasion, but knows he will have to continually deliver to keep his spot.

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"Every week we have to play for our place. No-one's guaranteed a position  in the starting eleven, that's what it's like at these top clubs. We have to expect a challenge every week."

'The celebrations are over'

There was a party atmosphere at Anfield early in the club's first home match since winning the Champions League.

But Trent Alexander-Arnold insists that the squad is now totally focused on the new campaign, and edging Manchester City in the title race.

"For us, the celebrations are over, we've got to focus on the new season, it's about putting it past us," he said.

"We obviously did a special thing last season, but it's a new season and that matters now. We can look back at the end of our careers.

We want to focus on this campaign and going one better in the league and getting as far as we can in the other competitions as well."

Objectives in mind

After teeing-up 13 league goals term, Alexander-Arnold got off the mark in the assist stakes with his cross to Origi for Liverpool's fourth.

Asked about his targets this year, the 20-year-old said he wanted to maintain his peerless attacking contribution and also help his side to as many shutouts as possible.

"Keep the same outputs, create as many chances as I can for the team. The way that we play as full-backs in this team is getting up and defending as well.

"No matter what you can always improve. Obviously we want to keep more clean sheets than we did last season, we kept a lot but we can still get better."

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