Liverpool 7-2 Blackpool: Slow start, clinical finish as pre-season wraps up

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Saturday 05 September 2020 - 3:00 pm
Anfield
Liverpool7
2Blackpool
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⚽️ Matip42'
Matip off, van den Berg on ↔️45'
Koumetio off, Phillips on ↔️45'
Fabinho off, Jones on ↔️45'
⚽️ Mane52'
⚽️ Firmino54'
Alisson off, Adrián on ↔️62'
Salah off, Origi on ↔️62'
Mane off, Elliott on ↔️62'
⚽️ Elliott69'
⚽️ Minamino71'
⚽️ Origi85'
⚽️ van den Berg87'
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Liverpool completed their on-field pre-season preparations with a comprehensive victory at Anfield over Blackpool.

Neil Critchley's team stormed into a 2-0 lead as the reds struggled to get going, but the reds soon turned that on the head as they fired in seven goals from seven different goalscorers.

This completes a much condensed pre-season and all attention can now turn to the reds first League game of the new season - next Saturday evening at Anfield against Leeds.

The ongoing European internationals affected availability of a number of players, the likes of van Dijk, Wijnaldum and Gomez all away with their respective nations - but the reds did have the stability of the regular front three.

However, it was Blackpool who settled quickest and in the 15th minute a breaking run from Hamilton put the seasiders ahead.

Just after the half hour a foul from Alisson at the edge of his area saw Blackpool go 2-0 up when they converted the resulting penalty.

Liverpool's chances had been limited but Joel Matip grabbed one goal back just on the stroke of half time - heading in from a James Milner free kick.

In the second half Liverpool turned up the performance a few notches.

Sadio Mane reacted quickest to a loose ball in the area, heading on to the bar before firing in the rebound.  Minamino, having another very good display, saw his shot deflected in by Firmino to make it 3-2.

DIvock Origi and Harvey Elliott were amongst two players brought on in the second half and they combined for Liverpool's fourth - a diagonal ball by Divock and a well taken left footed goal by the talented youngster Elliott.

Soon after, Firmino repaid the favour to Minamino, when his pass inside the area allowed Takumi to add another goal to his pre-season account. 5-2.

There was still an opportunity for another couple of late LFC goals - simple tap ins both.  Origi easily tucked away a well timed assist by Curtis Jones and then Sepp van den Berg knocked in a looped ball from Harvey Elliott.

It was a fine run out for Liverpool and more importantly the squad.  The likes of Keita, Minamino, Jones, Elliott have all looked hungry during the short pre-season and are likely to be rewarded with more involvement in the first team in the coming year.

Much has been made of the lack of transfer activity this summer (and last) but there are a number of players who quite clearly have developed significantly and are better options for Klopp now than they were six or twelve months ago.

Whether it will all be enough to win a 20th title is something we're all about to find out.

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