Freedom, pressing and flying up the flank

Milos Kerkez is a man reborn. Reunited with Andoni Iraola after two seasons together at Bournemouth, the Hungarian left-back has wasted no time in making clear just how different this Liverpool feels compared to the one he struggled to fully nail down last season. The £40m signing from the Cherries admits the change in approach from the new head coach is significant, and he is absolutely here for it.

"It's a big difference, obviously," Kerkez said candidly. "We play really aggressive. We need to run a lot more. It is good. It is tough, but if you want to compete at the top, you need to do that in the Champions League, the Premier League." That kind of directness is refreshing, and it tells you something about a player who now feels like he understands exactly what is being asked of him.

Perhaps most telling is what Kerkez had to say about his own role in this system. "You can see I have more freedom to fly up and down. I'm really running more, with more freedom, putting more balls into boxes," he explained. For a player of his athleticism and attacking instinct, that is the kind of licence that could turn a promising signing into a genuinely thrilling one. He knows Iraola's methods inside out, and it shows.

Confidence from the bench, belief from the boss

Kerkez was not shy in crediting Iraola personally for giving him the platform to express himself. "The manager gave me confidence when I was in Bournemouth," he said. "We all have to do what he tells us to do. Play aggressive, front-foot, so we need to continue." That familiarity with the head coach's demands may well give Kerkez a head start on some of his team-mates as everyone adapts to the new style.

Having come through the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 pre-season win over Como at Anfield, Kerkez admitted his legs were beginning to talk to him somewhere around the 70-minute mark, but he was glad to get the distance under his belt. "We're more ready. Everyone can't wait for the season to start next week," he said. "We needed to get the win today, to get that positive mentality going into the next week. So, we did good, clean sheet, good for the defenders."

Praise for the new arrivals and one eye on Newcastle

Kerkez was also generous in his assessment of the debutants alongside him. Of Jeremy Jacquet, who marked his unofficial Reds debut with a goal, the left-back was glowing. "He was brilliant, really. Defensively, calm on the ball. Confidence is what we need. Plays hard, plays aggressive, Liverpool style of play, definitely. Really, really good." Ronald Araujo, who came on in the second half, also earned a positive word. "Araujo when he came in second half was aggressive, made a few tackles. So was good."

With Liverpool heading to Newcastle United for their Premier League opener on Sunday, Kerkez knows exactly what awaits, having experienced that fixture from both sides. "I can remember last season how it was. Big difference for me when you play like Bournemouth at Newcastle and Liverpool at Newcastle, so I can't wait, really," he said with what sounds like genuine excitement rather than hollow confidence. "Fantastic atmosphere there, so we need to go and first game, need to get the three points, definitely."

If this pre-season is anything to go by, Kerkez is already looking like one of the players Iraola's methods will unlock completely, and St. James' Park on Sunday is as good a stage as any to prove it.