Virgil van Dijk makes great strides in recovery, 18-year-old Harvey Elliott could be a handy midfield option and Takumi Minamino keeps up red hot pre-season form with casual brilliance - THINGS WE LEARNED from Liverpool's two friendlies with Bologna

Daily Mail | August 5, 2021

Liverpool stepped up their preparations for start of the new Premier League season next week by playing two 60-minute friendlies against Italian side Bologna in France.

Under the sunshine of the city of Evian, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp named two separate line-ups for the pre-season tests, including a near-full strength squad for the first game.

The opening hour-long match saw Liverpool race into a two-goal lead early on thanks to a couple of gifts from Bologna defenders.

Liverpool continued their pre-season campaign two 60-minute friendlies against Bologna

Jurgen Klopp and his staff watched on as the team secured two victories in the games

LIVERPOOL LINE-UPS VS BOLOGNA

First XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk (R Williams), Robertson; Milner, Keita, Elliott (Woodburn); Salah, Jota, Mane

Second XI: Alisson, Williams, Konate, Gomez (Phillips), Tsimikas, Fabinho, Jones, Oxldade-Chamberlain (Woodburn), Minamino (Gordon), Firmino (Origi)

Italian defender Kevin Bonifazi played a villainous role in the Reds opener by giving the ball straight to Diogo Jota, who simply ran towards goal and put it past the Bologna goalkeeper.