Summary
Liverpool finished their preseason with a victory against Milan, 4-1, thanks to a pair of goals from Darwin Nunez.
The Uruguayan came off the bench to help win a victory for the Reds, who were already in the lead when he entered the game thanks to goals scored by Mohamed Salah and Thiago Alcantara.
Milan had previously wiped out the first of them via Alexis Saelemaekers, but they were otherwise second best for the whole 90 minutes and finally ended up with just a 4-3 triumph in the post-match shootout to show for their efforts.
Even with that, the Italians were unable to avoid placing last in the rankings of the Dubai Super Cup, while their opponents moved up to third place, behind Lyon and Arsenal.
But the most important thing for Liverpool to take away from what happened at Al Maktoum Stadium is the confidence boost that they will get from scoring four goals and putting in a great performance in advance of their trip to Manchester City for the League Cup on Thursday.
Liverpool versus. Milan result
Milan wins in the match’s subsequent penalty shootout, 4-3.
LIV and Salah both scored in the fifth minute.
Saelemaekers scored for the MIL in the 29th minute.
41st minute scored by Thiago for LIV
LIV — Nunez — 82nd min
88th minute LIV goal by Nunez
A much-needed lift is provided to Nunez.
If there is one player that Liverpool would have most regretted losing to the World Cup, it would have to be Nunez. Nunez was undoubtedly the man who they would have regretted losing the most.
The Uruguayan striker had a rocky beginning to his time at Anfield, but before to the break, he had scored seven goals in 10 matches and was beginning to seem like a player who was well worth the £85 million sum paid to Benfica.
Therefore, going to Qatar to play in three scoreless games that resulted in two losses and a draw did not seem like the best next move in terms of keeping his confidence up.
Thankfully, the 23-year-old showed no symptoms of his short spell with his nation impacting him here, as he calmly took his two goals to essentially take up where he left off. He was able to pick up where he left off just where he left off.
Once again, children and teenagers impress.
In the early stages of the previous month, Liverpool’s younger players had already shown their value by prevailing in an EFL Cup match against an older Derby County squad.
However, it looked as if they were eager to demonstrate that it was not an isolated incident by making the most of a rare chance to play with the first squad once again in this contest.
After coming off the bench, both Bobby Clark and Ben Doak provided assists for Nunez. The former did it with a particularly eye-catching curling through-ball, while the latter provided the assist.
During this time, Stefan Bajcetic showed why Jurgen Klopp and the rest of his coaching staff have such high regard for him by playing a calm game in the middle of the field.
Reds have every reason to be enthusiastic about the youthful talent that is now on the club’s books, and they have every reason to do so.
Competing against Manchester City with a strong squad
Klopp offered a significant clue regarding the starting XI he would use against Manchester City by making only one change to the starting XI from the last game, which was a loss to Lyon.
After starting both of the friendlies that were played in Dubai, players such as Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Joel Matip, and Thiago Alcantara are all likely to get the nod for their respective teams.
In point of fact, the only thing that remains unclear is who will start on the left side of the defence, given that Fabio Carvalho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have both been responsible for playing that position in the previous games.
Nevertheless, regardless of which way Klopp decides to go on that issue, Liverpool should be sure to put out a lineup that is strong enough to win against a City side that is certain to have more players missing due to the World Cup.
Liverpool’s match against Milan, as it really took place
The penalty shootout was won by Milan with a score of 4-3.
10th penalty, Kalulu is going to take it in place of Milan… GOAL! 3 for Liverpool, 4 for Milan
The ninth penalty kick is given to Nunez, who then scores for Liverpool. Milan 0, Liverpool 3, and a draw
El Hilali will take the eighth penalty for Milan, and he scores! Liverpool lost to Milan 3-2.
Clark is about to take the seventh penalty for Liverpool, and he SCORES! 2-2 draw for Liverpool and Milan.
Adli was about to take the 6th penalty for Milan, but he SAVED it! 2-1 for Liverpool vs Milan
Carvalho is about to take the 5th penalty for Liverpool, and he SCORES! 2-1 for Liverpool vs Milan
Bakayoko will take the fourth penalty for Milan, and he scores! Milan wins 2-0 over Liverpool.
Keita was about to take the third penalty for Liverpool, but he was able to save it. Milan leads, 1-0, against Liverpool
Bennacer will take the second penalty for Milan, and he scores! Milan leads, 1-0, against Liverpool
First penalty kick for Liverpool is given to Tsimikas, who MAKES THE SAVE. Milan and Liverpool tied at zero.
The game in Dubai has ended, and Liverpool emerged victorious with a 4-1 score. Here we go with the shootout once the contest has been completed!
Goal in the 88th minute! Nunez gets his second!
Doak may not have a goal to show for his cameo, but he does have an assist to show for it. This assist comes about as a result of his bursting in behind the defence down the right side and picking out a whipping, low cross for Nunez to head into the net.
Ben Doak, who had just come in to replace Mo Salah, had an attempt from a distance that hit the base of the post in the 86th minute. Unlucky.
82nd min: GOAL! The victory is assured for Liverpool thanks to Nunez!
The Uruguayan completes the goal with ease when there is only one defender between him and the goal, but Bobby Clark’s pass that puts him in position to score is an unbelievable display of skill. The performance of the child was quite outstanding.
In the 78th minute, Liverpool made some more substitutions, this time sending in Bobby Clark and Dominic Corness to the action.
Milan scores a goal in the 70th minute!
El Hilali, who had come in from the left side to get a shot off, produced a superb attempt that dipped to the right.
Pinball action in the Milan penalty area in the 68th minute as Carvalho, Salah, and Frauendorf each have shots quickly stopped in succession.
There was no shortage of devotion on the part of the defenders there.
64th minute: Since those replacements, Liverpool has continued to press fiercely, and Klopp has been providing lots of encouragement from the sideline.
60th minute: A multitude of shifts are about to take place for Liverpool: A run is being given to Adrian, Nunez, Tsimikas, Carvalho, and Fraudendorf, as well as Keita.
Clearing the way for Kelleher, Firmino, Robertson, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Thiago.
In the 57th minute, Pobega heads a corner kick toward the net, but Kelleher makes a simple stop to prevent the goal from being scored.
Liverpool has the most of the ball to open the second half, but they have not been able to accomplish anything productive with it as of the 53rd minute.
In the 46th minute, Milan requests a restart of the game. In the middle of the field, they have substituted Bennacer for Tonali, but Liverpool have made no further changes.
Liverpool is in the lead going into the half with goals from Mohamed Salah, Thiago Alcantara, and Alexis Saelemaekers giving them the edge. Alexis Saelemaekers scored the goal that gave Liverpool the lead.
In the second phase, you might anticipate some modifications.
At the 45-minute mark, there will be a five-minute extension. Those exorbitant injury times during the World Cup are beginning to catch up…
41st min: GOAL! Incredible strike by Thiago all by himself!
At the outside of the penalty area, Firmino makes a battle for possession of the ball, and his Spanish teammate benefits from a fortunate bounce of the ball into scoring position.
The touch and finish that comes next, though, are not the result of any stroke of luck. Thiago took possession of the ball in an instant before releasing a powerful shot that went into the bottom corner with very little backlift.
Oxlade-Chamberlain attempts to score when Robertson redirects a cross into his path in the 35th minute, but he is unable to get enough power behind his shot, which is saved by the goalkeeper.
Goal in the 29th minute! Milan, step up your game!
Saelemaekers receives the ball from a pass sent across the field on the right side of the pitch. He then cuts inside with relative ease and shoots with his left foot, reaching the bottom corner of the goal.
In the 26th minute, Thiago tries his luck from a distance, but he is unsuccessful, and it is time for a break for refreshments.
In the twenty-first minute, Oxlade-Chamberlain takes a shot from a distance and misses the target. Milner then gives him a lecture for not playing him in on the right side of the field.
It was in acres that the captain was.
15 minutes in, Salah fires off another shot, but he is being well marked and is unable to put enough strength on it to worry Mirante.
11th minute: The Reds are off to a fantastic start, but even though they got off to a fast start against Lyon, the game still ended in a loss for them.
Are they capable of maintaining this?
5 minute mark: GOAL! After just five minutes have passed, Liverpool had taken the lead.
After breaking out of his defensive position and moving towards the middle, Joel Matip simply keeps going and going, eventually exchanging passes with Roberto Firmino and setting up Mohamed Salah for an easy finish.
That’s a fantastic target to shoot towards.
The first minute of play sees the start of the game.
The Milan team has finally arrived, and regrettably for the Liverpool supporters in attendance, Divock Origi is not a member of the squad. The game is set to begin in five minutes.
Milan: Mirante, Kalulu, Thiaw, Gabbia, Pobega, Krunic, Tonali, Saelemaekers, Adli, Rebic, Lazetic
15 minutes till the start of the match, Klopp has been talking about Darwin Nunez, who will be on the bench today: “Today, he will be allotted minutes. Since he has been here, we’ve had some terrific practises, and he looks smart and composed when handling the ball. Could he have made the first move? Maybe yeah. However, we want him to be ready for the next week.”
There has been no announcement on the Milan squad as of yet, but Liverpool has made one substitution, with Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing Fabio Carvalho. The game is set to begin in 40 minutes.
Due to the fact that Luis Diaz has seen a setback in his recuperation and Diogo Jota is still out, it is probable that these two will split responsibilities on the left side of the defence.
1 hour to the start of the game, and we finally have some news about the team.
Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Matip, Robertson, Bajcetic, Elliott, Thiago, Salah, Firmino, and Oxlade-Chamberlain make up the Liverpool starting lineup.
Milan: Details have to be determined.
It will start in 1 hour and 30 minutes: We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for joining us for The Sporting News’ live coverage of Liverpool’s match against Milan in the Dubai Super Cup. After their loss to Lyon, the Reds’ prospects of winning the trophy are officially over, but they still have an opportunity to end their midseason break on a high note by achieving a victory and putting in a performance that will bolster their morale.
Liverpool vs. AC Milan lineups
The starting lineup for Liverpool
Kelleher (GK) — Milner, Matip, Gomez, Robertson — Bajcetic, Elliott, Thiago — Salah, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain (4-3-3, right to left)
Adrian, Keita, Tsimikas, Nunez, Carvalho, Clark, Phillips, Doak, Cain, Quansah, Corness, Chambers, and Frauendorf were the players who came in as substitutes.
AC Milan starting XI
(4-2-3-1): Mirante (GK) — Kalulu, Pobega, Gabbia, Thiaw — Krunic, Tonali — Saelemaekers, Adli, Rebic — Lazetic
Subs: Jungdal, Tatarusanu; Bakoune, Bozzolan, Simic, Bakayoko, Bennacer, Vranckx, El Hilali.
When does the match between Liverpool and AC Milan start?
On Friday, December 16, the match between Liverpool and AC Milan will take place at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, which is located in the United Arab Emirates. The match will get under way at 15:30 (local time) GMT.