Shaqiri, Sturridge, Nunez and more: Kop 10 recent pre-season goals
Ahead of Liverpool's pre-season friendly programme for 2023, we've taken a look back at 10 of the best goals scored in the Reds' warm-up matches in recent years.
This year, Jürgen Klopp’s side will face Karlsruher SC on July 19 and SpVgg Greuther Furth five days later in Germany.
Liverpool will then return to Singapore’s National Stadium to take on Leicester City on July 30 and Bayern Munich on August 2. Tickets for both Singapore fixtures are on general sale here.
Prior to those games, here is our chronological countdown of 10 of the best goals scored by Reds players in recent pre-season outings...
Christian Benteke v Swindon Town, 2015
Liverpool rounded off their warm-up fixtures in 2015 with a game against Swindon Town at the County Ground.
A highly rated 16-year-old called Trent Alexander-Arnold started the match but it was Christian Benteke who stole the show.
Receiving a high ball in the ‘D’ on the edge of the penalty area, the Belgian controlled it on his chest, swivelled and fired a volley into the top left corner of the Swindon net.
On-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux didn’t stand a chance.
Marko Grujic v Barcelona, 2016
The Reds took the world by surprise when they beat Barcelona 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final in 2019.
Yet they’d defeated them by the same scoreline three years earlier at Wembley. Granted, it was only a friendly, but it was still an enjoyable afternoon for everyone of a Liverpool persuasion.
The fourth goal was scored by Marko Grujic and it was a beauty. There was no ‘corner taken quickly’ for this one, rather a chipped pass from Lazar Markovic set it up.
Grujic was about 15 yards out when he received the ball, yet he was still able to guide a looping header into the top corner.
Sadio Mane v Bayern Munich, 2017
Liverpool faced Bayern for the first time since the 2001 UEFA Super Cup when they were preparing for the 2017-18 season.
In the semi-final of the Audi Cup tournament, the Reds went to Germany and beat Bayern 3-0 in their own stadium.
While not a competitive match, this was the first ever game in which Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah started together.
The first two of that trio linked up for the opener in what would become familiar fashion. Firmino won the ball from Corentin Tolisso in the centre-circle, carried it forward and played a beautiful pass to Mane, who scored with a fine left-footed finish.
Mohamed Salah v Bayern Munich, 2017
The Reds’ second goal from their 2017 victory over Bayern is included thanks to its sensational build-up.
Mane was in possession on the edge of the area when he did something truly wondrous. He drew the ball back behind him, then backheeled it into the path of the onrushing Alberto Moreno in one move.
Goalkeeper Sven Ulreich got a hand to the Spanish left-back’s subsequent cross, though Salah was on hand to head the ball into the back of the net.
Daniel Sturridge v Bayern Munich, 2017
It may seem odd to include three goals from the same game but they were all belters.
For the final strike against Bayern, Ben Woodburn played a delicious through ball with the outside of his foot and into the path of substitute Daniel Sturridge.
He ran through and scored as he had done so many times in the past.
However, rather than drilling the ball into the bottom corner as you might expect, he floated a perfect chip past Ulreich from the edge of the box.
Ben Woodburn v Athletic Club, 2017
The final match of the 2017-18 pre-season saw Liverpool play Athletic Club at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
After the sides traded a goal each in the first half, Klopp’s men took the lead for the second time thanks to Woodburn.
Dominic Solanke made a fine run down the left and pulled the ball back to Woodburn, who was waiting on the edge of the box.
He took a touch to send the defender the wrong way before firing a fierce drive past future Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Solanke later added a third to ensure Liverpool rounded off their warm-up programme with a 3-1 win.
Xherdan Shaqiri v Manchester United, 2018
Any goal against Manchester United is special for a Liverpool player. It’s also exciting when someone acrobatically scores an overhead kick.
Xherdan Shaqiri was able to combine both of these during his first pre-season with the Reds.
The north-west rivals met in the International Champions Cup in Michigan in July 2018, with Liverpool running out 4-1 winners.
Goals from Mane, Sturridge and Sheyi Ojo had put the Reds in control, before Shaqiri added the icing to the cake, converting a Woodburn cross in the most spectacular style.
Harry Wilson v Olympique Lyonnais, 2019
Five days before the 2019 FA Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley, Liverpool faced Olympique Lyonnais in Geneva.
It was a typical pre-season affair with Klopp opting to use 27 different players across the course of the match. One who made the most of the opportunity was Harry Wilson.
He combined with a couple of other youngsters early in the second half with the Reds already 2-1 up. Adam Lewis passed the ball to Bobby Duncan, who carried it forward and played it inside to Wilson.
The Welshman then let fly from 30 yards, with the ball arcing into the top corner. It was a beautiful strike that beat Ciprian Tatarusanu with ease.
Rhian Brewster v Salzburg, 2020
Liverpool were two goals down to Salzburg thanks to future Leicester City forward Patson Daka in a friendly in August 2020.
Fortunately, they had Rhian Brewster to score a double of his own that salvaged a 2-2 draw.
His first goal had a nice build-up featuring Takumi Minamino and James Milner, but his second was superb.
Curtis Jones pressed the goalkeeper and the ball found its way to Brewster on the edge of the ‘D’. He struck it first time past the covering defender and into the roof of the net.
Darwin Nunez v RB Leipzig, 2022
Darwin Nunez scored four times in the space of 41 minutes last summer to get his Liverpool career up and running following his move from Benfica.
His second was the pick of the quartet and a good example of the Reds’ counter-press. When two teammates pressed opponents in midfield, the ball reached Alexander-Arnold.
With the deftest of touches, he put Nunez through on goal. The Uruguayan carried the ball into the box and arrowed a fine shot into the opposite corner of the net.