As it happened: LFC 4-1 Norwich

Liverpool and Norwich get the brand new Premier League season underway tonight at Anfield.

The European Champions welcome the Canaries back to Anfield for the first time in four years after their promotion from the Championship last season.

For the reds, James Milner has recovered from the muscle strain that kept him out of the Community Shield last weekend, and Sadio Mane could make a return just four days after returning to pre-season training.

Norwich managed a 1-1 draw in their last game at Anfield - a fixture which turned out to be Rodgers' penultimate Anfield league game as Liverpool boss.

The reds have endured a bit of a disappointing pre-season in terms of results, but all that goes out of the window tonight - and three points will be expected from the Kop faithful.

Follow the game with us here.

As it happened...

17:54 UK
Just catching up?

Here's what the Liverpool manager had to say in his pre-match press conference earlier this week.

17:59 UK
European Champions back home

So tonight will be Liverpool's first Anfield game since becoming European Champions for a sixth time.

The decals in the bowels of the Main Stand have been amended with the updated trophy count.

And eyes will be on whether the silverware-winning players will now be allowed to touch the famous 'This is Anfield' sign...

18:56 UK
Six times!

 

19:01 UK
Confirmed team

No changes from last weeks' starting XI v Man City

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Origi, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Milner, Keita, Mane, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Matip.

19:20 UK
Norwich new boys on the bench

Many of Norwich's summer signings start from the bench as the boss gives favour to those who helped the club back into the Premier League

Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Godfrey, Hanley, Lewis, McLean, Trybull, Stiepermann, Cantwell, Buendia, Pukki.

Subs: Fahrmann, Bryam, Roberts, Vrancic, Leitner, Hernandez, Drmic.

19:42 UK
Boys for the future?

They're not in tonight's match day squads but two of LFC's big hopes for the future are pitchside watching the players train.

Harvey Elliott is the Premier League's youngest player and joined this summer, whilst Rhian Brewster has recovered from his injury filled 2018/19 season.

19:56 UK
Teams are out

Players out on the Anfield pitch.

Minutes away now.

19:57 UK

Still not keen on those home socks.  Hope they grow on me, but unlikely.

20:00 UK
KICK OFF

Underway at Anfield.

20:02 UK
LFC owner at Anfield

John W Henry in attendance tonight

20:05 UK

5' Poor kick out by Alisson there and Teemu Pukki nabs in to intercept.

Luckily the shot goes over the crossbar.

20:06 UK
Early goalkeeping jitters

6' A wobble at the other end for Tim Krul who stands on the ball with Liverpool players nearby.  He hastily clears it for a throw in and then eventually he manages to deny the following attack.

20:08 UK
GOAL

Liverpool take the lead in the 7th minute.

Divock Origi fires the cross in from the corner of the penalty area and Grant Hanley misplace the clearance and it slices into this own net.

20:10 UK

10' Second chance of the game for Marco Stiepermann and he gets past Trent Alexander-Arnold yet again.

Can't put it away but clear warning signs for the reds.

20:14 UK
Origi a menace

14' He's getting in some great positions is Divock.  He's already 'assisted' the first goal and he's working that left hand side well, getting crosses in and causing Norwich plenty to think about.

20:15 UK

15' Teemu Pukki forces his way into the area, he almost gets the shot away but for a late LFC interception just outside the six yard box.

This is a surprisingly end to end game.

20:20 UK
GOAL

19' There we go. 2-0 to the reds.

Mo Salah with the goal.

A fast move down the left. Bounces off a few Norwich players - Firmino dinks it through to the onrushing Salah who slides it in left footed.

20:26 UK
Rasping shot

26' Another chance for Stiepermann and Alisson has to beat that powerful shot away.

Jurgen Klopp is furious on the touchline at the number of chances that LFC are conceding.

20:30 UK
GOAL

28' Wow.  It's Liverpool 3-0 Norwich. 

Mo Salah whips in the corner and Virgil van Dijk is way too strong.  He smashes that header in from 6 yards.

 

20:31 UK
Almost four!

31' Space and time in the box for Bobby Firmino.  You can't give him that.

He turns and smashes it but Tim Krul manages to get it away.

Looks like it could be a long season for Norwich City.

20:35 UK

36' Corner for Norwich and they do manage to get the header on it - headed wide though.

20:39 UK
Injury

38' Alisson Becker is heading off.  Done something to his knee.

On comes Adrian.

20:42 UK
GOAL

42' It's 4-0.  Divock Origi with the goal.  Trent Alexander-Arnold with the cross, Origi with the header. Thanks very much.

20:50 UK
HALF TIME

Liverpool 4-0 Norwich

The reds have been lethal.  Norwich have had their chances but the reds have been just too clinical.

Major concern that Alisson went off injured however.

Mignolet won't believe his bad luck if that's a long term thing.

21:09 UK
Second half

We're back underway after an extensive delay due to the officials suffering battery failures with their headsets.

Have Norwich got 4 goals or more in them?

They had the shots in the first half - 7 of them to Liverpool's 6.

21:12 UK
Wow - should have been 5

48' Alexander-Arnold flicks the ball across the goal line and I don't know how Firmino didn't get that over the line.

That chance coming just after Krul puts a Henderson shot onto the crossbar.

Great start from the European Champions.

21:19 UK
'Shoot'

55' That's the order from the Kop and Fabinho obliges.  Krul spills it but reclaims it before Henderson can get there for the rebound.

No goals in this second half.

Yet.

21:21 UK

58' Reds free kick from a central position, headed back out to Robertson who lashes in a shot.  Wide.

21:22 UK
Norwich sub

58' Stiepermann off.  German compatriot Moritz Leitner replaces him.

21:23 UK
An unusual stat

Level: Super nerd.

21:28 UK
GOAL

64' There goes the clean sheet as Teemu Pukki - the Championship top scorer last season - beats the offside trap to fire in.

Adrian beaten.

21:34 UK
Sub

70' Hernandez replaces Trybull for Norwich.

Still awaiting LFC subs which is a bit of a surprise given the 4-1 scoreline and the upcoming UEFA Super Cup.

21:38 UK
LFC Sub

74' Divock Origi, one assist and one goal makes way for Sadio Mane.

These are the kind of subs we like.

21:38 UK

75' Sadio Mane almost finds Firmino with his first bit of action on the ball.

21:47 UK
Norwich sub

83' It's their last one.  Goalscorer Teemu Pukki is replaced by Josip Drmic.

Safe to say that Pukki will get some goals this season.

21:49 UK
Sub

86' James Milner replaces Roberto Firmino.

21:56 UK
FULL TIME

It's all over.

Surprising that the reds didn't add more in the second half.

Three points and attention now turns to the UEFA Super Cup Final.

A great Premier League Start.

Liverpool 4-1 Norwich City.



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