113 passes completed: Liverpool scouts might like what they saw from duo on international duty

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Detailed view of a Liverpool badge on a corner flag inside of the stadium ahead of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on January 17, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around England remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Liverpool had scouts present at a Euro 2024 qualifier in recent days to keep watch on two players in particular.

As per 90min, the Reds dispatched representatives to Zenica on Monday night to witness Portugal trounce Bosnia-Herzegovina 5-0, with all of the goals coming in the first half.

The Anfield scouting team were keeping a close eye on Goncalo Inacio, who featured for the entire match, and Pedro Neto, who came on as a substitute in the 66th minute.

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Both players gave tidy if unspectacular performances on the night, as illustrated by statistics from Sofascore.

They were particularly strong in terms of ball retention, with Inacio playing 97 accurate passes out of 103 (the second-most of any Portugal player) and Neto finding a teammate with each of his 16 passes after he came on.

The Sporting Lisbon defender also made two clearances and one interception, albeit that the Portuguese defence wasn’t overly taxed, with Bosnia managing a paltry three shots across the 90 minutes.

The one concern which might’ve been identified by Liverpool scouts at the game was the ease with which the aforementioned duo were beaten in their individual duels.

Neto contested just one and came out second best, while surprisingly for a centre-back, Inacio won only one of his six battles on the night.

Nonetheless, the Reds’ scouting team will probably have liked what they saw overall from both players, and we now await to see if their reports will lead to demonstrative action from the club’s hierarchy.

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