LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 8, 2021: Liverpool's Diogo Jota (C) celebrates after scoring the first goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Club de Bilbao at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Anfield enjoys seeing Reds return – Liverpool 1-1 Athletic

The biggest crowd at Anfield since the pandemic hit over 500 days ago was in attendance to see Liverpool draw with Spanish side Athletic Club.

Liverpool 1-1 Athletic Club

Pre-Season Friendly; Anfield
Sunday, 8 August 2021

Goals

Jota 13′
Berenguer 53′


The Reds were properly back, with around 40,000 inside Anfield and a somewhat poignant You’ll Never Walk Alone pre-match.

Virgil van Dijk played a very significant 70-odd minutes, while the likes of Alisson, James Milner, Joel Matip, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah all got 90 minutes in their legs.

Jota gave Liverpool the lead early on with a well taken left-foot strike after good pressing from Naby Keita on the edge of the box.

Van Dijk almost got himself on the scoresheet with a header from a corner, while Alexander-Arnold also went close.

Sadio Mane had the ball in the net but he was judged offside in the build-up. No VAR here!

Liverpool looked sharp, with Harvey Elliott again impressing in midfield.

But there was a sting just before half time, with Andy Robertson suffering a serious-looking injury when blocking a cross.

Half time: Liverpool 1-0 Athletic

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 8, 2021: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Club de Bilbao at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

  • Van Dijk plays 70 minutes
  • Jota with a nice early goal
  • Next friendly vs. Osasuna at Anfield on Monday night

The second half saw Athletic equalise after some neat work down the Liverpool right and a ball across the face of the box was finished at the back post.

Elliot hit a beautiful Salah-like shot late on that thundered off the woodwork, but the match ended in a draw.

The Reds are back in action on Monday night at Anfield, as Osasuna arrive for the final friendly of pre-season.


Attendance: 40,000 (approx)

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk (R. Williams 73′), Robertson (Beck 46′), Milner, Keita (Morton 83′), Elliott (Cain 83′), Mane, Salah, Jota (Woodburn 73′)

Subs not used: Karius, Pitaluga, Gordon, Bradley, Koumetio.

Next Match: Osasuna – Monday, 9 August, 7pm (BST)