Liverpool 1-0 Mainz
Second half ratings

Liverpool beat Mainz 1-0 in a pre-season friendly on Friday evening. The only goal of the game came from Killian, the Mainz centre back, who unfortunately turned an Owen Beck cross into his own net late in the game. Let’s run through the second half performances from a largely youthful Liverpool side.

Adrian
Made a top class save when he tipped over a fierce volley from a corner over the bar. Was alert and quickly off his line to deal with some dangerous crosses. Looked sharp and was the player of the half.

N. Williams
Did well to keep one wayward pass in play. Quiet for the most part. Gave away some cheap free kicks late on.

Phillips
Some timely interceptions when Mainz broke on the counter. Was penalised for winning a thumping header, the refereeing was weird all game. Could have passed it forward a bit more.

Koumetio
Has the size and physique but not there yet with his actual play. Fancies himself a long diagonal, not a lot came off though.

Beck
Confident lad. Isn’t shy to dribble infield instead of go for the easy pass to his winger. Gave the ball away a few times but he got his moment when his wickedly whipped cross was turned into the Mainz net by Killian. To be fair to the centre back, he had Gordon behind him waiting to pounce.

Clarkson
Good passer of the ball. Isn’t shy to take responsibility to get the team playing and build up play.

Morton
Too many back passes. Understandable as he wants to keep it neat and tidy and not make an error. But I prefer it when youngsters take risks, instead of keep it safe.

Jones
His first game this pre-season and you could tell cos he was rusty. He was easily robbed off the ball due to a poor first touch, he played a horrible back pass which Adrian did well to clear before it went over the line for a corner. Showed he hadn’t lost it all when a shimmy past his man saw him play a slide rule pass inside the left channel for Beck whose cross was blocked. Skied one shot after Gordon set him up.

Gordon
Very good presser of the ball. Closed down the goalkeeper and almost got a goal with the keeper lucky to get away with it. Made some good runs in behind from right to centre. Was robbed of an amazing moment when his late goal was chalked off for offside. Good pressing from Clarkson had seen the ball break to Minamino, but Jones (who was in an offside position) took it off Taki and slid a pass to Gordon who showed composure beyond his years to sit the keeper down and just slide it into the net.

Origi
Showed a great turn of pace when he picked the ball up on the left wing, gave his man a good five yard headstart but still beat him to the ball, only for his pull back to be cleared. Made a good run in behind but saw his effort to lob the keeper thwarted, before the offside flag went up. Went down looking for a penalty late on.

Minamino
Didn’t stand out. Only thing I remember him doing was giving the ball away after Clarkson found him in a good position and then fouling his man out of frustration. Should have took charge of that last attack when Jones took the ball off him as Taki could clearly see Curtis was coming back from an offside position. Lots of work for the Japanese to do.

Cain
Came on late, neat and tidy on the ball but with a bit more confidence than Morton which is understandable because he’s been around the first team longer.

All in all a good run out. No injuries and another 45 minutes in the legs to add to the 30 minutes they got the other day. Pre-season continues tomorrow with Andy Robertson now ready to join his mates in team training after taking the lactate tests today. Jurgen Klopp will be hoping Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez will be ready to partake in some of these friendlies soon.