Highlights and goals: Liverpool 2-0 & 1-0 Bologna in pre-season friendly

Game 1: LFC 2-0 Bologna

Goals from Jota & Mane

Game 2: LFC 1-0 Bologna

Goal from Minamino

Minamino goal all that separates the two sides in Game 2.

If there was an in-house competition between Team 1 and Team 2 then it was definitely the former that impressed the most today.

Two games. Two wins.

Next up, Bilbao in front of 40,000 at Anfield!

Not been the best game of football but nevertheless a good run out ahead of the season. 

Few standouts being Kaide Gordon, Takumi Minamino & Kostas Tsimikas.

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Ball whiped in the box and Origi adjusts his body for an awkward volley that goes just wide. 

Poor penalty from the Belgium international.

Connects well put cannons off the post.

Gary Medel wipes Ben Woodburn out on the right side of the box and the ref gives the clearest penalty you may ever see.

Stupid defending from the Chilean.

Origi heads goalwards from a lofted Oxlade-Chamberlain free-kick and sees his effort cleared off the line!

Superb defending!

Gomez makes his way off the field after 40 minutes of action. 

Good showing from the England man. Nothing too fancy but did not put a foot wrong and that's all that matters in pre-season!

Kostas Tsimikas strikes from range and forces a corner. 

Superb hit from the Greek international. 

Adrian on for Alisson here & Kaide Gordon on for Xherdan Shaqiri. Divock Origi on for Roberto Firmino and Leighton Clarkson on for Fabinho.

Minamino goal the only one of the half as the Reds lead 1-0. 

Second half to follow shortly...

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Klopp's side continue to knock the ball about well.

Think Minamino has been the brightest spark in Game 2 so far. 

Looks really sharp and agile. 

The Greek full-back has been really good this pre-season and seems to have improved a lot since his few outings last campaign. 

Could well be a Robertson like situation where it takes him a while to adapt to the system. 

Looks very strong so far in the friendly matches. 

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Superb ball in to the box and Minamino on the shoulder beats the offisde trap and hits a volley on the half-turn to put the Reds 1-0 up 

MINAMINO WITH THE GOAL!

Quiet start for both sides as they find their feet in the game. 

Liverpool with all of possession so far. 

We're back underway for Game 2!

Here's how we're lining up for #LiverpoolBologna, pt 2 📋

Bardi
Mbaye
Khailoti
Binks
Denswil
Medel
Kingsley
Dominguez
Cangiano
Van Hooijdonk
Pagliuca#WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/rvjazP7axj — Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) August 5, 2021

The club have confirmed today that they will be updating the Hillsborough memorial, adding the late-Andrew Devine's name. 

LFC will also be changing its "96" shirt emblem to "97". 

The name of the 97th victim of the Hillsborough disaster will be added to the memorial at Anfield.
Seriously injured Andrew Devine died last week. His brain was starved of oxygen in the tragedy 32 years ago.
Liverpool FC will also be changing its "96" shirt emblem to "97". pic.twitter.com/jTyp1sHHIY

— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) August 5, 2021

James Milner: "I thought we went up another level today. The work we are doing is paying off. We looked organised - it was a good step up and closer to where we want to be.

"It was pleasing to get the goals. We can still improve our ratio of converting chances to goals."

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⚽️🔴 pic.twitter.com/81weNWmxXA — - (@snappedlfc) August 5, 2021

Chance to see Shaqiri in a Red shirt again, something we were not 100% sure we'd see again after the Euros.

An opportunity to put himself in the shop window!

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Another brilliant line-up for the Reds which goes to show the  strengh and depth at Klopp's disposal. 

First starts of pre-season for Alisson, Fabinho and Firmino!

Gomez gets chance to record more minutes under his belt!

Starts for @J_Gomez97 and three Brazilian Reds in our second meeting with Bologna 🔴#LFCPreSeason

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 5, 2021

Join us at 5pm for Game 2 of the day vs. another Bologna XI. 

Team News coming soon! 

Early Jota and Mane goals fire Reds to victory in Game 1!

Brilliant pressing in the first half and total control from Klopp's men!

More of the same in the second half, please!

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Bologna have the ball in the back of the LFC net but it's deemed to be offisde. 

Tight call but one that looked spot on from the officials. 

Dangerous corner knocked in to the box and Federico Santander's header falls just wide of the LFC goal. 

First real chance for the Italians. 

The Reds continue to mount the pressure on the Italians and show now signs of stopping!

Superb fitness levels displayed by the Reds so far

Brilliant interchange from the front 3 and Jota fires a ball in to the box which deflects off a Bologna man and sets up nicely for Mohamed Salah but his effort cannons off the bar!

Van Dijk gets his rest now after 42 minutes of work. 

Rhys Williams comes on for the ex-Saints man. 

#LFC #LFCpreSeason pic.twitter.com/p9DanmmYkL — LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) August 5, 2021

The 18-year-old looked sharp so far today but seems to have an over reliance of his left-foot and a reluctance to his right. 

Worked alright for the GOATs of the game *cough - Messi* but perfect chance in pre-season to test out his right against professional top flight opposition. 

Good break from the Reds as Andy Robertson hits a cross from deep, much like the previous one from Trent, which meets the head of Jota but this time his effort is well saved down the throat of the Bologna keeper. 

Salah had a half-chance to convert from a tight angle but his effort was not one of his best strikes!

The Dutchman was rumored to only play 30-minutes here but it appears as though he will play on. 

Not much to do in the first half so maybe more down to that than impressive fitness levels!

Bologna kick us back underway in Evian!

Half-Time here in Evian!

Good start from the Reds and an equally terrible one from the Italians. 

Expecting a mini-break and play to resume shortly

On the scoresheet again! 🇸🇳⚽️ pic.twitter.com/bqJo3Mk8W4 — - (@snappedlfc) August 5, 2021

A top cross from deep from Trent Alexander-Arnold which is met by the head of first goalscorer, Diogo Jota, but the ex-Wolves man can not aim his header goalwards much to the delight of the Bologna shot stopper. 

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Siniša Mihajlović very vocal here just under half an hour in.

Poor start from his side who clearly are not in the same stratosphere as the Reds ability wise. 

Application is everything from lesser ability sides and I'm not fully convinced their focus is 100%. 

Harsh but true...

Really enjoying watching Naby Keita this pre-season.

Smart in the positions he takes up in the middle of the park and constantly wanting to pick the ball up and drive at the opposition defence. 

The Premier League will be a far greater spectacle if we can get a fully fit, fully firing Naby Keita, that's for sure!

The ball trickles into the Bologna box but Harvey Elliot can only drag his effort wide from around the penalty spot.

Always harsh when you single the opposition out as being poor when most of the time it's the other side performing out of their socks. 

Today folks, that is not really one of those cases.

Yes, Liverpool have been strong in the press but the Italians seem to crumble any time a player in Red comes within 2 meters of them.

You don't need to social distance on a football pitch, lads!

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Once again terrible play from the Italians as they gift a pass back towards the keeper which was intercepted by Mane who skips past the keeper and passes in to an empty net. 

SADIO MANE GRABS HIS GOAL 12 MINUTES IN!

2-0!

Horrific passing from Bologna here as they can not compete with the press from the LFC XI. 

Far too easy so far.

Klopp will be wanting his side to punish the Italians' poor start here. 

Mane presses the Bologna defender and forces him in to a terrible pass that falls to the feet of Jota who dribbled past his man and finishes coolly into the bottom left hand corner!

DIOGO JOTA SCORES!

Not much to report so far here, a lot of sidewards passes met with a press from both sides. 

Biggest talking point so far is not the return of Jota or van Dijk, it's the choice of kit today!

Some are not a fan, it seems!

Liverpool have gone full Man United with this absolutely bizarre kit combo. And the white socks match the opposition's. Weird.

— Matt Ladson (@mattladson) August 5, 2021

Naby Keita with a pot shot from range but it falls nicely in to the Bologna keeper's graps.

Liverpool get us underway here in Evian wearing a home shirt with the black away shorts!

Players are all lined up in the tunnel and walk out on to the pitch ahead of an ever so slightly delayed kick-off. 

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Caoimhin Kelleher: "The standard in training is definitely going up. We are nearly back to full fitness. The levels are definitely improving, getting back into full swing The quality has gone up even more - there's a lot of competition for places.

"As we get closer to the start of the Premier League, we're working more on tactical stuff - players getting into their rhythm."

So good to see the Dutchman back in the first team fold after his horrible injury last season.

Such an important player for the Reds and his inclusion will surely increase the level of the players around him.

1️⃣0️⃣ minutes go until our first kick-off 💪

Let's go, Reds! 🔴 #LFCPreSeason pic.twitter.com/oOMmPa3OUF

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 5, 2021

Excitement building for the first game in Evian!

Join us from 3pm for LIVE coverage of the game if you're unable to catch the match. 

Jurgen Klopp speaking to in-house club station, LFCTV: "It's helpful [Trent, Matip, Van Dijk and Robbo] - the others are also available. It's all good in the moment but I don't like to talk about ot - that is how it should be - we just want to play football.

"I want to see rhythm in the games as well. In training it looks great but now we want to see it on the pitch. The second game the team is very good as well, so lets see how the boys deal with it. We should be okay today.

"You have to get the rhythm back. We have to win balls back and maintain our intensity. Bologna is a good side, experienced side - very smart people. It will be interesting."

After joining back up with the squad at the start of the week, the Brazilian shot stopper, fresh from his new contract, does not make the first LFC XI for Match 1 vs Bologna. 

He’s a ‘keeper… 🤩@Alissonbecker has signed a new long-term contract with the Reds 😁🙌

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 4, 2021

⭐ 𝐖𝐄'𝐑𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 ⭐

Join us as we preview our two pre-season friendlies with Bologna today! #LFCPreSeason
https://t.co/lAdVtKJ9aW — Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 5, 2021

No Marko Arnautović in Bologna's first XI!

Sansone will be the bright spark for the Italians today so one to keep an eye on... 

Bonjour from Évian-les-Bains! 👋🇫🇷

Our line-up for today's friendly against Liverpool 📋

Skorupski
De Silvestri
Bonifazi
Soumaoro
Annan
Svanberg
Schouten
Vignato
Orsolini
Santander
Sansone#WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/BmkyTKt6ML

— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) August 5, 2021

Team news is in and Virgil van Dijk starts! 

🔴 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 🔴

Here's how the Reds line-up for the first of our two 60-minute friendlies against Bologna today! 💪 #LFCPreSeason

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 5, 2021

Preparing for tomorrow's friendly with @LFC 👊🔴🔵#WeAreOne #ForzaBFC pic.twitter.com/lHGpT0lrDR — Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) August 4, 2021

The game is available to watch LIVE on LFCTV & LFC TV GO. If you want to follow it on the internet, VAVEL UK is your best option!

In the 129 year history of Liverpool Football Club, there has never been a game played against Bologna F.C. 1909! 

Always a first time for everything, I suppose!

Klopp and his coaching staff seem to favour the 60 minute mini-games as the players continue to build up their fitness for the new season. 

The idea behind it is that it allows every player to feature and play a game at totally high pressing intensity. 

Bologna (4-2-3-1): Skorupski, Silvestri, Soumaoro, Bonifazi, Dijks, Svanberg, Schouten, Vignato, Orsolini, Sansone, Santander. 

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Matip, Robertson, Keita, Milner, Jones, Mane, Salah, Firmino

Liverpool welcome back Alisson, Fabinho and Firmino into the first team fold after their extended break following international duty with Brazil. 

Klopp confimed to in-house station LFCTV that Thiago Alcântara will sit out of the game after joining the camp with a little knock. 

He said: "Thiago came here with a slight issue. He has three weeks off and the slight issue is still [there], which he was feeling." 

Van Dijk & Joe Gomez are available for selection again after making their LFC comeback against Hertha last week. 

Siniša Mihajlović's side played Marco Rose's Borussia Dortmund on Friday in Austria and lost by three goals to nil.

All three of Die Schwarzgelben's goals came in the first half, courtsey of strikes from Giovanni Reyna, Lennard Maloney & Steffen Tigges. 

Klopp's side lost 4-3 to German outfit, Hertha Berlin last week in their fourth game of pre-season. 

Of the matches contested so far this summer, that was clearly the most intense and was a good test of the players' fitness in the Austrian sun. 

The Reds will face Italian side Bologna at the Camille Fournier Stadium in Evian, France. 

The stadium has a capacity of 5,000, although the two games (60 minute matches) will be played behind closed-doors. 

Upcoming matchdays! 🔜⚽

🆚 @LFC
📅 5/8/2021
📍 Camille Fournier Stadium, France#WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/NAlJNTTmGO

— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) July 31, 2021

Hi folks!

I'm Adam Doyle, VAVEL UK's LFC Editor, and I'm going to be running our live coverage of today's games vs. Italian side, Bologna. 

It should be a great contest as both sides continue their preparation for the new season.

 

In our LIVE, we will provide you with pre-game analysis, score updates, and news as it happens.