• Richard Hughes switched from Cherries last summer
• ‘It’s no surprise to me that they are able to compete’

Arne Slot has credited Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, with turning Bournemouth into one of the toughest assignments in the Premier League.

Hughes joined Liverpool last summer from Bournemouth, where he had been technical director during the club’s rise from the Championship and led the appointment of Andoni Iraola as manager. The former Bournemouth and Portsmouth midfielder was also responsible for players such as Justin Kluivert to the Vitality Stadium. He was appointed Liverpool’s sporting director by Michael Edwards, a friend from their time together at Fratton Park.

Liverpool lost their 100% record in the Champions League but one suspects Arne Slot will be over the disappointment before he arrives back on Merseyside. It will take Amara Nallo much longer to recover.

The 18-year-old defender was handed his Liverpool debut in the 83rd minute at PSV Eindhoven, one of several young faces to appear in the group finale as Slot returned to the Netherlands with an eye on a more important date with Bournemouth on Saturday. Four minutes later the teenager was off, a disconsolate figure after receiving a straight red card for denying Johan Bakayoko a clear goalscoring opportunity.