Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool have opened their pre-season account with a win over Tranmere, dominating proceedings but winning by just a single goal...
The Reds fielded a mostly makeshift eleven as they made the trip to Tranmere, who themselves finished top of League One and will be hoping to make a fist of their upcoming Championship campaign.
Despite being in front of a home crowd hopeful of witnessing a win over their more illustrious Merseysiders, Tranmere supporters had little to shout about all game as Liverpool, who started with teenage debutant Daniel Pacheco up front, who joined from Malaga.
Daniel Agger also started, a relief for many Reds fans, with the stopper having spent the majority of last season out with injuries. New recruits Philippe Degen and Diego Cavalieri were on the substitutes' bench, as was skipper Steven Gerrard, with another new signing in Andrea Dossena left out of the squad.
Liverpool had the better of the early stages in terms of possession, with the Prenton Park crowd content with their team's best efforts to get behind the ball and keep out Rafael Benitez's side.
Pacheco was the livewire early on, first curling a shot just past the post and then, latching onto a long ball from Daniel Agger, testing Tranmere goalkeeper Danny Coyne.
Jermaine Pennant soon rifled a shot just inches over the bar as Liverpool continued to have all the play, and the Reds got their goal just before the break, with Yossi Benayoun cutting in from the left hand side onto his favoured right foot, striking a sweet shot past Coyne to give Liverpool the only goal of the game.
At half time, Benitez gave debuts to Cavalieri and Degen, while also making five other substitutions.
Plessis, impressive in midfield, tested Coyne and Agger unleashed a trademark piledriver that went just over the bar as the Reds failed to add a second goal despite having the majority of possession and chances.
Captain Steven Gerrard was introduced 20 minutes from time to a standing ovation but had little impact on the game. In truth, it was at this point that the Rovers sensed they could yet snatch a result, with Chris Curran coming close with a header that went just wide of goal.
However, it was not to be their day as Liverpool got off to a fairly promising start to their pre-season.
The Reds head to Switzerland to continie their pre-season programme next week.
LINE-UPS
Liverpool: Martin, Carragher (captain), Hobbs, Agger, Darby, Insua, Plessis, Leiva, Pennant, Benayoun, Pacheco.
Subs - Hyypia, Gerrard, Spearing, Aurelio, Cavalieri, Degen, Kelly, Voronin, Skrtel, Flynn.
Tranmere Rovers: Coyne, Taylor, Kay (captain), Chorley, Curtis, Jennings, Edds, O'Callaghan, Shuker, Moore, Greenacre.
Subs - Achterberg, Goodison, Curran, Holmes, Savage, Waterfall, Creswell, Sonko, Gornell, Henry, Ahmed.
Referee: Mike Dean
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