Liverpool 3-1 Osasuna: As It Happened

🔜 Next up for #LFC, #NCFC at Carrow Road on Saturday #NORLIV pic.twitter.com/ibf6RGnh4E — BBC Sport Merseyside (@bbcmerseysport) August 9, 2021

Goals from Minamino and Firmino x2 secures the win for the Reds at Anfield. 

Brilliant first half and a solid second. 

Lots of positives, the main one being the form of Oxlade-Chamberlain. 

The ex-Arsenal man looked superb today. One to keep an eye on. Could play a big role off the bench or maybe even from the start for the Reds this season!

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Williams heads narrowly over from Oxlade-Chamberlain's cross.

Hendo on the pitch but Divock with the captains armband?

Definitely looking into this too much but that could be a little leaving present for Origi… #LFC

— Lewis Barton (@lewisbarton_) August 9, 2021

Superb ball from Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right but Rhys Williams gets his feet stuck under his body and can't direct the ball goalwards. 

Score remians 3-1 

Ben Davies and Conor Bradley on for #LFC. Ibrahima Konate and Neco Williams make way. — Keifer MacDonald (@KeiferMacd) August 9, 2021

Neco Williams and Konate off. Bradley and BEN DAVIES ON.

THIS IS NOT A DRILL pic.twitter.com/KPqkuLHSe1 — The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) August 9, 2021

Ben Davies looks set to make his first Anfield appearance!

Will come on for Konate at CB

Superb save again from Sergio Herrera after a brilliant first time shot from Oxlade-Chamberlain. 

Ox is having a brilliant game tonight!

Brilliant ball from Garcia on the left and headed home superbly by Kike. 

Jordan Henderson is getting ready to come on for LFC alongside Owen Beck!

Tsimikas hits the free-kick but it hits the wall and is cleared out of danger. 

Brilliant first time ball in behind for Ben Woodburn to chase and he gets hacked down just outside the Osasuna penalty box. 

Big chance to add a fourth here for LFC. 

Areso, Juan Cruz & R. Torres make way for Nacho Vidal, Rubén García and Kike Barja. 

Fabinho, Firmino & Joe Gomez make way here for Thiago, Rhys Williams and Leighton Clarkson. 

Liverpool knocking on the door for their fourth here but not able to get that end product to finish off the play yet. 

Has to be said that the players look to be having the time of their lives out there tonight. 

Brilliant to see!

Tsimikas forces a Liverpool corner at the Kop end!

The Spanish side have made 8 changes for the second half. 

Their lineup reads:

S. Herrera, Areso, Unai Dufur, Ramalho, Juan Cruz, Jaume, Javi Martínez, Aimar, R. Torres, Kike G, Budimir

We're back underway at Anfield for the second half of tonight's game!

Just Origi coming on for Kaide Gordon at the start of the second half. 

Looks as though Klopp will give the two Brazilian lads, Firmino & Fabinho until 60 minutes and then give Henderson & Thiago their first minutes of pre-season. 

Looks like we may get a few changes at half-time.

Thiago, Henderson & Origi all warming up infront of the Anfield faithful. 

Imagine Woodburn, Fabinho & Firmino will make way. 

Will confirm in a few minutes when the players are back on the pitch!

Brilliant first half from Klopp's men. 

Pressing was superb and the goals were of the highest quality. 

Can't ask for more 5 days out from the start of the season!

A brilliant counter-attacking goal from the Reds as Woodburn plays in Minamino down the left who looks up and plays an inch-perfect ball in to the box for Firmino who controls with his chest and scores coolly past the Osasuna keeper. 

FIRMINO SCORES AGAIN!

#LFC #LFCpreSeason #Anfield @takumina0116 pic.twitter.com/vn678ATt0i — LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) August 9, 2021

What a strike from Oxlade-Chamberlain from 20-yards out and an equally impressive save from the Osasuna keeper!

Oxlade-Chamberlain looking very sharp! Pressing is brilliant. 

So good to watch after the tough couple of years he's had with injuries. 

That smile!#LFC #LFCpreSeason #Anfield #Firmino pic.twitter.com/oGnKjmEF7w — LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) August 9, 2021

Ben Woodburn looks to be making his way on to the pitch to replace Curtis Jones after his knock to the nose. 

No need to take any risks here and gives the midfielder time to rest up ahead of Saturday's game. 

The Scouser has been in the wars so far today and is down again with a knock to the nose.

Coming out with quite the bruise here. 

Nasty one. 

Really impressed with Liverpool's start here. 

Minamino, Tsimikas, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Konate being the real stand outs so far. 

Brilliant first 25 minutes from the men in Red. 

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Tsimikas plays a perfect one-two with Minamino down the Liverpool left and whips in a perfectly drilled cross for Firmino who couldn't miss yards from goal!

Brilliant work from the Greek full-back there!

FIRMINO SCORES!

Curtis Jones is back up and ready to resume play. 

Curtis Jones is down after a late challenge. Doesn't look too much of a problem at the minute.

The ex-Salzburg man controls the ball well, shrugs off the opposition defenders and hits a deflected shot past Juan Pérez. 

MINAMINO SCORES!

Both sides feeling each other out early on here but one thing that has stood out is the direct balls in to the middle of the park from new signing, Konate.

Brilliant range of passing displayed so far.

The ball finds itself at the feet of Kostas Tsimikas on the left hand side of the pitch and the Greek defender fires from range but his effort sails over the bar. 

Speculative effort from Ezequiel Ávila fires high and wide for Osasuna. 

Iñigo Pérez whipped in wicked cross for the visitors but it was met by the welcoming arms of Caoimhin Kelleher in the Liverpool net. 

We're underway at Anfield!

In memory of Michael Robinson ❤️ pic.twitter.com/SUiBlBPDNQ — Caoimhe O'Neill (@CaoimheSport) August 9, 2021

Roberto Firmino leads Liverpool out 🔴#LFC pic.twitter.com/9YOtUhXjTx — Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) August 9, 2021

Liverpool and Osasuna make their way on to the pitch in front of 40,000 Reds fans!

As per Dominic King, there will be no need for surgery to treat Robertson's ankle injury. 

Andy Robertson has received good news of sorts; no need for surgery - just some ligament damage. He will, however, miss the start of the season.

— Dominic King (@DominicKing_DM) August 9, 2021

Thanks to everyone for the kind messages and support. Scan suggests nothing too major but there’s some ligament damage which will need to mend. I will be grafting every day so I can help the team again sooner rather than later. Good luck to the boys playing tonight #YNWA pic.twitter.com/urKPCLmHgS — Andy Robertson (@andrewrobertso5) August 9, 2021

Absolutely love to see it 🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/fpzOOxf93p — Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) August 9, 2021

The Ox spoke to the in-house media team ahead of tonight's game.

He said: "The boss demands quite a lot from us, on the ball and off the ball. It's always crucial for everyone to get a good pre-season. We need that and we benefit from it. Hopefully today is another good step.

"Every training session is a marker - the manager looks at how we are applying ourselves. But tonight is another opportunity - more minutes in the legs. The fans have been waiting a while to see us.

"I feel pretty good. We've had a really good pre-season so far. Training everyday - we all benefitted. I feel good and I think the rest of the lads do as well."

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Kick-off for tonight's game has been delayed by 15 minutes!

If yesterday was anything to go by, it ended up being a 30 minute delay. 

We will give you more updates as and when we get them. 

📹 ¡Saltamos al verde del Anfield Stadium! 👊🏻💪🏻#LCFOsasuna pic.twitter.com/YYIhe3Ztr2 — C. A. OSASUNA (@CAOsasuna) August 9, 2021

📍 Estos son los once jugadores escogidos por Jagoba Arrasate para jugar de inicio en el Anfield Stadium.#LFCOsasuna pic.twitter.com/AZ4zGD9aO6 — C. A. OSASUNA (@CAOsasuna) August 9, 2021

"The Brazilians are now already more than a week – nine or 10 days. Didn’t have a long break obviously so they didn’t lose a lot. So let’s see how long they can go – 45 for sure, maybe 50, 60."

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"They will play a few minutes tonight – it’s just important for them and for us as well.

"With Hendo and Thiago it’s different. Hendo is now in training three or four days properly. Thiago did his own stuff in the training camp but team training, maybe two or three or four days as well."

Klopp spoke to LFCTV ahead of today's game.

He said: "A lot of the things I saw last night. I told the boys from yesterday and the boys today, I told them yesterday in a lot of moments that was us, it was the way we want to play football, the first 30 minutes for sure.

"It was the intensity we want to put on the pitch. It’s pre-season, we don’t have to hold anything back, it’s not that we have to get through a game somehow."

He continued to say: "It’s obviously a very intense session as well – to make it as intense as possible, that’s really important at that moment in time."

Home. pic.twitter.com/iq5HZh6IRw — The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) August 9, 2021

The Reds' first choice left back was pictured heading for his scan on crutches while having his right foot heavily protected.

A rapturous welcome for #LFC tonight. Jordan Henderson the subject of a further applause as he’s in the squad for the first time at Anfield since February’s Merseyside derby. pic.twitter.com/wANztjzIhU

— Keifer MacDonald (@KeiferMacd) August 9, 2021

The lads! pic.twitter.com/8GfVaT06A9 — The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) August 9, 2021

#LFC #LFCPreSeason #Anfield pic.twitter.com/q50X5atnfq — LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) August 9, 2021

In tonight's programme, the club pays tribute to the late Michael Robinson, who played 30 games for the club between 1983 and 1984. 

Robinson finished his career at Osasuna and went on to be a mainstay in the Spanish media, hosting El día después from 1991 to 2005. 

The official #LFC matchday programme pays special tribute to the late Michael Robinson, who of course played for the Reds and tonight’s visitors, Osasuna pic.twitter.com/5IlfXRvZeJ

— BBC Sport Merseyside (@bbcmerseysport) August 9, 2021

It may sound a tad over the top but today, despite being a pre-season friendly, could well be the biggest game of Kostas Tsimikas' Liverpool career to date. 

With Robertson's fitness in doubt following his ankle injury yesterday, it could well open the door for the Greek defender to start the Reds' Premier League campaign at Carrow Road on Saturday evening should he impress tonight. 

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The Reds' opposition today make their way to Anfield from their team hotel!

😀 ¡Anfield, allá vamos!#LFCOsasuna pic.twitter.com/uo890C6Kqv

— C. A. OSASUNA (@CAOsasuna) August 9, 2021

🔴 It’s good to be back. pic.twitter.com/oZO1soRi13 — Matt Addison (@MattAddison97) August 9, 2021

At 22 and 24 respectively, Konate and Gomez look to be the heir to the crown at the back for LFC post Van Dijk. 

Now of course Van Dijk is very much the present and the Reds' number one defender but in terms of the future of LFC, it looks pretty bright for the pair.

If everything goes to plan, it's a partnership we could well see for the next 8-10 years.

Here's to hoping for a dominant performance in front of 40,000 Liverpool fans at Anfield!

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There is no Xherdan Shaqiri or Nat Phillips in the Liverpool squad for tonight's game. 

Both players have been linked with moves away from the club in the last week and their absence may be down to the club wanting to avoid any unnecessary injuries that could hamper potential transfers from happening.

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𝗧 𝗘 𝗔 𝗠 🔴 𝗡 𝗘 𝗪 𝗦

Here’s the Reds line-up against @CAOsasuna tonight for our final pre-season fixture: — Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 9, 2021

If you're unable to catch the game tonight, you can keep up to date with every kick LIVE with us at VAVEL UK!

We will bring you live text commentary of the game as it happens!

See you later! :)

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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, much like in their friendly against Bologna, the two sides have never met in a game of football before!

Always a bit of history made at Anfield, the home of famous nights under the lights!

Reports emerged yesterday that the England midfielder could well be on the move, with ex-club Southampton ready to bring him to St Mary's ahead of the new Premier League season. 

The Ox seems to have fallen down the pecking order at Anfield since his multiple injury woes and realistically sits 6th or 7th in the pecking order at the club. 

At 27 years of age, the ex-Arsenal man should have the best years of his career ahead of him but it will be hard to fulfil his great potential sitting on the warm substitute benches in Liverpool's Main Stand. 

BREAKING: Southampton are keen to re-sign Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on loan.

Saints are also close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea to sign striker Armando Broja on a season's loan.

- talkSPORT understands

📻 Listen → https://t.co/VJgUHnqdM1 pic.twitter.com/Gy7RXR7mza

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) August 8, 2021

Here is my predicted LFC XI to Osasuna face tomorrow:

Kelleher, N. Williams, Konate, Gomez, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Jones, Thiago, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Firmino.

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With Klopp playing pretty much the same team he fielded against Bologna (Game 1) yesterday, I would imagine we will see a side the strongly resembles the one he fielded in Game 2 in Evian. 

Expect to see captain Jordan Henderson and Thiago to both get their first minutes of pre-season after returning late from the Euros. 

Joe Gomez should play a big chunk of the game, as did Van Dijk yesterday against Bilbao. 

The Spanish side impressed in their last game of pre-season, beating fellow top flight outfit, Real Sociedad 3-1 at the neutral venue of the Stadium Gal. 

 

As mentioned previously, this is the Reds' second game in as many days after being held to a 1-1 by Athletic Bilbao. 

Klopp fielded a very strong line-up and despite the score line not reading too pretty in the Reds' favour, it was a fairly one-sided contest. 

Liverpool dominated and should have scored a few in the first half.

It felt after the injury of Andy Robertson, the game sort of fell a bit flat, probably out of worry that their teammate had quite a scary injury and worry that they may over-exert themselves ahead of Norwich next Saturday.

Yesterday we heard a brilliant rendition of the famous Kop anthem that everyone has been singing loud and proud in their living rooms for the last year. 

All those times sat in front of the telly wondering when they'd be back at their football home. 

I was lucky enough to be at the game yesterday and I must say it was a goosebump moment hearing You'll Never Walk Alone again. 

For those that missed Anfield singing it aloud yesterday, here is a clip for your enjoyment!

You'll want your sound on for this one 🔊

A spine-tingling rendition of our anthem ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6FB96GBBmQ

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 8, 2021

We're back at Anfield for LFC's second friendly game in as many days!

You wait over 500 days to be back at the match and then you get to go twice in two days!

Despite the game being a friendly, it will undoubtably be an emotional occasion for so many. First time back at their usual seats speaking to familiar faces. 

So many have lost so much over the last year and it has been football that has kept everything together during those hard times. 

Todays for the fans as much it is for the players. 

Hi everyone!

I'm Adam Doyle the LFC Editor for VAVEL UK, and I'm going to be running our live coverage of today's games vs. La Liga side, CA Osasuna.

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