Liverpool start pre-season in style

Rhian Brewster celebrates with team-mates after scoring

Liverpool started pre-season in fine fashion as they beat Tranmere 6-0 at Prenton Park on Thursday night.

Liverpool dominated the first half and were 3-0 up at half time thanks to Nathaniel Clyne’s fine early strike (6), followed by a quick double by the impressive Rhian Brewster (38 and 45), his first senior goals for the club.

Jurgen Klopp changed his entire side for the second half and continued to control the game as goals from Curtis Jones (53), Divock Origi (60) and Bobby Duncan (67) flattened Tranmere.

Liverpool now go to Bradford on Sunday, before their US tour starts against Dortmund on July 19.

How Liverpool’s youngsters impressed

In their first appearance since becoming European champions, Liverpool thoroughly dominated against Merseyside neighbours Tranmere, who have enjoyed back-to-back promotions to reach League One.

Ryan Kent in action for Liverpool

Clyne thrashed a fine shot into the top right corner from the right of the box after Brewster found him with a square pass, before the impressive French full-back Yasser Larouci forced Scott Davies into a fingertip save.

Larouci then forced Davies into another save with an effort across goal, and it was soon 2-0 as Brewster headed into the top left corner from Harry Wilson’s cross on the stretch from the right.

Brewster finished the half on a high, finishing off after James Milner’s 20-yard effort had been parried into his path by Davies, and the goals kept coming after the break.

Liverpool’s Curtis Jones celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal against Tranmere

Jones, 18, finished off well at the far post from Ben Woodburn’s superb right-wing ball, and it was five minutes later as Origi, fresh from signing a new deal, took down a long Joel Matip ball and calmly slotted past Davies.

Duncan, the 18-year-old cousin of Reds legend Steven Gerrard, completed the scoring midway through the second half, finding the bottom-right corner after good work from Ki-Jana Hoever on the right, before Origi was denied a second by Davies at his feet.

There was one slight negative for Liverpool as German youngster Paul Glatzel went off with a knee injury, forcing goalkeeper Dan Atherton, the only remaining sub, to play outfield.

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Klopp: We need the youngsters

Asked whether the young players will keep playing in pre-season, manager Jurgen Klopp told LFCTV: “We need them. We have to do that. The boys are big talents. Sometimes with young age groups you show up, then have a bit of a dip, but at the moment they are fresh.”

On the performance, he added: “All round it was a very good performance, both halves, against a good and especially strong side physically.

“We looked at it before the game and in boxing you’d say it wasn’t the same weight class. The boys let the ball do the work pretty much.

“All together it was good. The kids came up, so I really liked the game.”

What’s next?

Liverpool’s remaining pre-season fixtures…

• July 14: Bradford – Valley Parade
• July 19: Borussia Dortmund – Notre Dame Stadium, Indiana
• July 21: Sevilla – Fenway Park, Boston
• July 24: Sporting Lisbon – Yankee Stadium, New York
• July 28: Napoli – Murrayfield
• July 31: Lyon – Stade de Geneve, Switzerland

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