ROVERS 0

LIVERPOOL 2

(Markovic, 66) (Sturridge, 75)

The Premier League quality told in the end, as the half-time introductions of Nabi Keita and Daniel Sturridge broke the Rovers resistance.

Jurgen Klopp made 10 half-time changes and it was second half XI who looked much more threatening as two goals in nine minutes proved the difference.

Tony Mowbray rang the changes himself on the hour mark and it was after that where the visitors really turned the screw.

Much of the talk pre-match was of Liverpool’s world record bid for Roma goalkeeper Alisson.

But it was the Rovers number one, David Raya, who would come up with the stand-out moment of the opening half.

With just six minutes on the watch he was adjudged to have brought down Dominic Solanke. Up stepped James Milner, but flying to his right, Raya got two good hands to the spot-kick and kept it out.

At the other end, Liverpool’s under-pressure ‘keeper, Loris Karius, was pleased to see a curling Charlie Mulgrew free-kick land just wide of his left-hand post just after the half hour mark.

Bradley Dack lit the game up with two outstanding moments of skill. His second, which took two Liverpool players out the game, saw him feed Dominic Samuel, operating from the right, and his strike was well saved by the legs of Karius.

Chances had been at a premium, though the game was played at a good tempo in front of an excellent Ewood Park crowd of 14,620 who were fully involved.
Adam Lallana, comfortably the visitors’ best player, went close twice before the break. After dancing beyond two Rovers challenges, his first effort was denied by the post. Then, after the follow-up cross came in, Charlie Mulgrew was well placed to clear his effort off the line.

Liverpool’s second half changes saw the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Keita, Fabinho and Sturridge all introduced.

Keita showed his quality almost immediately, with two inch perfect passes to play in Sturridge. The first saw the striker drag an effort narrowly wide, though the second was a real let off for Rovers. Cutting inside Wiliams inside the area he had the goal at his mercy, only to blast wide from 10 yards.

The pair linked up again moments later, only for Sturridge to somehow fail to put the hosts infront. Cutting inside Derrick Williams he had the goal at his mercy, only to blast wide from 10 yards.

On the hour mark, Rovers made eight changes, with Samuel the only player to stay on in what was a youthful XI for the final 30 minutes.

And it didn’t take long for the Reds’ quality to show. Pouncing on a loss of possession, Sturridge picked out on the run of Lazar Markovic through the heart of the Rovers defence, and he made no mistake, sending Jayson Leutwiler the wrong way with a powerful finish.

Only a Lewis Travis sliding block on the line kept out a Rafa Camacho strike as the visitors began to press the accelerator.

It was the combination of Keita and Sturridge which paved the way for 2-0 with 15 minutes to play. Again pouncing on loose play, the Guinea international had the presence of mind to feed in the striker who calmly slotted behind Leutwiler.

It was tough going thereafter, with Liverpool seeing the game out with ease. Without Danny Graham, who missed out through injury, the game highlighted Rovers’ shortage of options in the attacking areas, something Mowbray will be desperate to address before the new season gets underway in just over two weeks.

Rovers: Raya (Leutwiler, 60), Nyambe (Downing, 60), Lenihan (Wharton, 60), Mulgrew (Bell, 46), Williams, Bennett (Tomlinson, 60), Smallwood (Whittingham, 60), Evans (Travis, 46), Rothwell (Davenport, 60), Dack (Nuttall, 60), Samuel

Liverpool first half: Karius (Kelleher, 63), Clyne, Matip, Klavan, Moreno, Milner, Lallana, Ojo, Woodburn, Origi, Solanke

Liverpool second half: Karius, Gomez, Van Dijk,  Phillips, Robertson, Camacho, Keita, Fabinho, Jones, Markovic, Sturridge