1st Pre-Season Friendly: TRFC 0-4 LFC

Sports - Football - Pre-Season - TRFC 0-4 LFC

Liverpool warmed up nicely and strongly in their first 2017-18 pre-season friendly, thrashing Tranmere Rovers 4-0 at Prenton Park.

It was a good chance for Reds manager Jürgen Klopp to give all of his players their first run around after just eight days of training back from the summer holidays, making ten changes after the interval.

Both halves were dominated by the visitors, with possession and chances galore.

Micky Mellon's side were made to work hard and gave their all, goalkeeper Scott Davies and the back line keeping well and solid...

Until James Milner broke the deadlock from the spot with just over half an hour gone after Tranmere stopper Davies brought down Sheyi Ojo in the box.

Marko Grujic doubled Liverpool's lead with a cracker a few minutes before the break, picking up the ball from 30 yards out, working his way through and finishing off nicely.

All changes brought a new and fresh wave of dominance and opportunities for the Reds, Pedro Chirivella netting nicely four minutes into the second half after Dominic Solanke's turn and shot.

And youngster Ben Woodburn converted Liverpool's second penalty sealing the deal making it 0-4 to the visitors after the Welsh midfielder was fouled in the box by Davies.

No discrediting the National League side, but the result reflects the Red dominance and nice start to the pre-season warmup.

Liverpool Goals: Milner pen 33', Grujic 41', Chirivella 49' & Woodburn pen 79'.

Tranmere Rovers lineup: 1 Davies*; 3 Ridehalgh*, 6 Sutton, 5 McNulty, 2 Buxton, 7 Duggan*; 11 Norburn*, 18 Hughes, 8 Harris*; 10 Norwood*, 9 Cook*. 5-3-2
Subs: 11 Jennings*, 25 Pilling*, 14 Clarke*, 15 Gumbs, 16 Dunn*, 17 Solomon, 4 Owusu*, 19 Mangan*, 20 Rokka*.

Liverpool 1st half lineup: 1 Karius; 7 Milner, 21 Lucas, 32 Matip, 66 Alexander-Arnold; 6 Wijnaldum, 14 Henderson, 16 Grujic; 15 Sturridge, 9 Firmino, 54 Ojo. 4-3-3
Subs: 2 Clyne, 12 Gomez, 17 Klavan, 29 Solanke, 35 Stewart, 38 Flanagan, 40 Kent, 50 Markovic, 56 Randall, 58 Woodburn, 68 Chirivella, 73 Grabara.

Liverpool 2nd half lineup: 1 Karius*; 38 Flanagan, 17 Klavan, 12 Gomez, 2 Clyne; 58 Woodburn, 35 Stewart, 68 Chirivella; 40 Kent, 29 Solanke, 50 Markovic. 4-3-3
Subs: 56 Randall, 73 Grabara*.

*Subs made in the second half

Match Stats: TRFC 0-4 LFC
Shots: 6-21
On target: 2-10
Offside: 2-0
Corners: 0-8
Tackles: 20-12
Tackles won: 80%-10%
Free kicks: 12-11
Bookings: 0-0
Possession: 30.2%-69.8%
Passes: 306-696
Passing accuracy: 73.5%-92.2%
Crosses: 9-33
Successful crosses: 11.1%-15.2%

Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the match: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Ground: Prenton Park

Click here to read my last LFC match report.

Pictures, stats and facts taken from the LFC matchday blog and LFCTV match coverage.

Liverpool Win "Ugly" Against Burnley

Sports - Football - Premier League - LFC 2:1 BFC

Liverpool came back from behind to record their third consecutive home win in the league beating Burnley 2-1 at Anfield.

Click here for my full ByTheMin coverage of the game.

The home side didn't create a single chance in the opening half an hour and it looked like yet another shocking defeat when Sean Dyche's men took the lead early on at Anfield thanks to Ashley Barnes, who had a smashing game, in more than one way.

The 27-year-old forward was always on the opponents' case, playing the good old physical game, pushing, pressing, creating, producing and could have scored more.

He gave the Clarets the lead just seven minutes in, connecting to the brilliant pass in from Matthew Lowton and netting it with his right foot sliding in.

It looked like the visitors were bossing it and could have taken a nice dominant and deserved lead into the break.

But Georginio Wijnaldum levelled the score in added time just before the interval, putting Divock Origi's cross from the left past Ben Mee who was on his knees from close range.

The second half grew more and more frustrating for the Reds, Anfield growing more and more tense.

But Emre Can denied the Clarets the league double over the Reds, making it 2-1 just past the hour-mark with a low right-footed shot off the post into the corner of the net, the Merseysiders recording their first "ugly" win as manager Jürgen Klopp put it.

The goal came out of nowhere, shortly after the German boss had made his first substitution, bringing on Academy youngster Ben Woodburn for Philippe Coutinho. Klopp was obviously not happy.

The more relieved the Kop could be about recording three points, especially after all the media focus on their lack of form against the lower sides.

It's Liverpool's 16th Premier League win of the season, equalling their tally of wins for the whole 2015-16 season.

The pressure stays on the Reds to remain in the top four with the teams around them having games in hand and their next match is the Super Sunday clash against Manchester City at the Etihad.

Liverpool Goals: Wijnaldum 45'+1, Can 61'.

Burnley Goal: Barnes 7'.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 7 Milner (c), 17 Klavan, 32 Matip, 2 Clyne; 20 Lallana (booked 87'), 23 Can (booked 63'), 5 Wijnaldum; 10 Coutinho (58 Woodburn 60'), 27 Origi (21 Lucas 79'), 19 Mané. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 12 Gomez, 18 Moreno, 59 Wilson, 66 Alex-Arnold.

Burnley Team: 1 Heaton (c); 23 Ward, 6 Mee (booked 37'), 5 Keane, 2 Lowton; 37 Arfield (32 Agya 90'), 13 Hendrick, 19 Barton, 21 Boyd (12 Brady 73'); 7 Gray (9 Vokes 80'), 10 Barnes. 4-4-2
Subs not used: 17 Robinson, 18 Westwood, 26 Tarkowski, 27 Darikwa.

HT & FT Stats: Liverpool-Burnley
Score: 1-1 & 2-1
Possession: 70%-30% & 65%-35%
Shots: 5-4 & 10-11
On target: 1-1 & 3-1
Corners: 7-1 & 11-1
Fouls: 4-9 & 12-16
Bookings: 0-1 & 2-2

Referee: Craig Pawson
Man of the match: Ashley Barnes
Ground: Anfield
Attendance: 53,145

Click here for my last LFC match.

Pictures and stats taken from the BBC match report and Sky Sports coverage.

Woodburn Shoots Reds Into Semis

Sports - Football - EFL Cup - LFC 2:0 LUFC 

Liverpool progressed to their 17th League Cup semi-final - more than any other side - after beating Leeds 2-0 at Anfield.

Divock Origi put the home side ahead on 76 minutes off youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold's fine cross moments after Georgino Wijnaldum had hit the woodwork.

The Dutch midfielder then set up the second goal five minutes later, Ben Woodburn smashing home from close range, his first goal for the club, breaking Liverpool's club record becoming the youngest scorer in the Reds' history with 17 years and 45 days, beating none other than Michael Owen by 98 days.

Garry Monk's men had not made it easy for the home side, coming close a couple of times earlier on in the match.

Hadi Sacko was denied by a fine Simon Mignolet save, and man of the match Kemar Roofe hit the post, but it was not to be for the Sky Bet Championship side.

Jürgen Klopp made eight changes, being without Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge, and confirming Philippe Coutinho will be out for five weeks with ankle ligament damage.

The German counted on his youngsters, who didn't get into gear till after the break.

But after the Whites lost Eunan O'Kane to injury in the first half, it looked more difficult for the visitors.

Despite all that, they still challenged the Reds, Kyle Bartley heading wide and Roofe coming close a couple of times.

But it all was to no avail, the Red youngsters ended up on top, and even late on when Leeds thought they had pulled one back, substitute Chris Wood was flagged offside to see his goal denied. It was not their day.

Liverpool will face Southampton in the semis, travelling there for the first leg on the 11th January, the return leg at home scheduled two weeks after that.

Liverpool Goals: Origi 76' & Woodburn 81'.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 18 Moreno, 17 Klavan, 21 Lucas (c), 66 Alex-Arnold; 23 Can, 35 Stewart (58 Woodburn 67'), 51 Ejaria (7 Milner 82'); 19 Mané, 27 Origi (booked 90'+1') (16 Grujic 90'+1'), 5 Wijnaldum. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 2 Clyne, 6 Lovren, 14 Henderson.

Leeds United Team: 12 Silvestri; 21 Taylor, 6 Cooper (c) (2 Ayling 45'), 5 Bartley, 28 Berardi; 14 O'Kane (23 Philips 28'), 25 Vieira; 15 Dallas (9 Wood 62'), 7 Roofe, 24 Sacko; 11 Doukara (booked 56'). 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 1 Green, 10 Antonsson, 16 Grimes, 27 Mowatt.

Match Stats: Liverpool-Leeds United
Attempts: 13-13
On target: 4-4
Offsides: 1-5
Corners: 3-5
Fouls: 4-12
Possession: 71.5%-28.5%

Referee: Andre Marriner
Man of the match: Kemar Roofe
Ground: Anfield
Attendance: 52,012

Pictures taken from the BBC match report

Click here for my previous LFC match report