According to multiple English media outlets, Liverpool played a closed-door friendly against Stoke City and cruised to a convincing 5-0 victory, securing their second preseason win.
Following a 3-1 win over Preston in their first warm-up match, the Reds continued their strong form, with striker Darwin Núñez once again stealing the spotlight.
Núñez nets hat-trick in dominant first half
Liverpool came out with attacking intent right from the start. Núñez stood out with a stunning first-half performance. He opened the scoring just six minutes in with a close-range finish. In the 12th minute, he slotted home a low cross from Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead.
Just two minutes later, Curtis Jones delivered a precise through ball, and Núñez calmly finished his hat trick in just 14 minutes. Youngster Trey Nyoni also scored shortly after, giving Liverpool a commanding 4-0 lead at halftime.
Wirtz makes his debut in the No. 10 role
Summer marquee signing Florian Wirtz made his long-awaited debut for Liverpool, appearing in the starting lineup for the first time.
Positioned as a central attacking midfielder behind the attacking trio of Salah, Núñez, and Nyoni, Wirtz showcased his movement and passing, injecting creativity into Liverpool’s midfield, despite not registering a goal or assist.
In the second half, Italian winger Federico Chiesa came off the bench and scored the fifth goal to seal the Reds’ emphatic win. Chiesa, who recently sustained a minor injury, received limited playing time due to ongoing speculation about his potential return to Serie A.
Núñez shines amid transfer uncertainty
Núñez’s standout display drew praise from fans and media alike. Renowned journalist James Pearce tweeted, “Núñez was outstanding today. His hat trick shows what a top-class striker he can be.” However, despite his form, the Uruguayan’s future at Anfield remains uncertain. With the club reportedly closing in on Hugo Ekitike, Núñez is believed to be edging closer to a summer departure.
Squad for Asia tour announced
Liverpool has officially released their 29-man squad for the upcoming Asia pre-season tour, which includes stars such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz, Luis Díaz, Núñez, and new signing Jeremie Frimpong.
However, youngster Jayden Danns, who missed the friendly, has not been included in the tour squad. Chiesa is also absent, with the club citing “a minor injury” as the reason for his exclusion despite swirling exit rumours.
According to Liverpool’s official schedule, the Reds will first travel to Hong Kong to face AC Milan, a Serie A giant, on July 26 at the Kai Tak Sports Park. They will then head to Japan to take on Yokohama F. Marinos in another friendly on July 30.
As the Asia tour approaches, Liverpool is steadily building momentum ahead of the new season. The resounding win against Stoke and the impressive individual performances indicate that the squad is beginning to gel.
The upcoming friendlies against AC Milan and Yokohama F. Marinos will provide crucial opportunities for fine-tuning the starting XI. It remains to be seen if Liverpool can reach their peak at the start of the new campaign, but the early signs are encouraging.
