NEW DELHI: Liverpool geared up for the commencement of the new Premier League campaign with a commanding display in Singapore on Sunday, as they cruised to a resounding 4-0 victory against English rivals, Leicester City, in a pre-season friendly.
In an impressive eight-minute spell late in the first half, goals from Darwin Nunez, Bobby Clark, and Diogo Jota gave the Reds a comfortable 3-0 lead at halftime. Ben Doak then headed in their fourth midway through the second half, sealing a thumping victory at the National Stadium.
The match served as crucial preparation for Liverpool, as they have two weeks remaining before their Premier League season opener against Chelsea. Manager Jurgen Klopp expressed contentment with his side's performance, stating, "We had a lot of good moments but we can do better."
Klopp further added, "I'm absolutely fine (with how things went). The result was good, nobody was injured - just a few knocks - and the atmosphere during and after the game was top class. So yeah, it was a good day in the office."
Liverpool are scheduled to face Bayern Munich in another pre-season friendly in Singapore on Wednesday, while Leicester City, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, will be returning to England for the start of their Championship campaign against Coventry City next Sunday.
Liverpool's pressure finally paid off in the 30th minute when Darwin Nunez found the back of the net after goalkeeper Mads Hermansen could only parry the ball to the far post. Five minutes later, Bobby Clark extended the lead with a well-placed right-footed shot past Hermansen into the bottom corner.
Diogo Jota added to the tally three minutes after that when he expertly headed home a scooped ball from Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah. Despite making wholesale changes to their outfield players at halftime, Liverpool continued to control the game and enjoy the lion's share of possession.
In the 64th minute, Liverpool secured their fourth goal from a well-executed set-piece, with Joel Matip's flick finding Ben Doak, who nodded home. Despite their efforts, Leicester City failed to find a consolation goal, with Liverpool's solid defensive performance and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher's saves ensuring a clean sheet.
The match provided Liverpool with valuable insights into their squad's chemistry and tactics ahead of the upcoming Premier League season. Fans can be optimistic about their team's prospects after witnessing a confident and dominant display in this pre-season friendly.
(With inputs from AFP)
