Florian Wirtz ‘debuts’ and Darwin Nunez scores hat-trick in Liverpool friendly win

July 20, 2025
This Is Anfield

Florian Wirtz made his first non-competitive start for Liverpool as the Reds beat Stoke City 5-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Sunday.

Liverpool 5-0 Stoke City

Pre-season friendly, AXA Training Centre
July 20, 2025

Scorers: Nunez (3), Ngumoha, Chiesa

Wirtz started for the Reds in a midfield role, alongside Curtis Jones and highly-rated teenager Trey Nyoni.

Giorgi Mamardashvili was in goal, with Alisson one of three first-team players not involved – the others being Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister.

Up front, Darwin Nunez started and bagged a first-half, poacher’s style hat-trick inside the first 20 minutes, with 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha also netting a deflected shot midway through the first half. Mo Salah completed the attack.

Dominik Szoboszlai surprisingly lined up at right-back in the opening XI, with Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson making the rest of the back four.

First half XI: Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Nyoni, Jones, Wirtz; Salah, Nunez, Ngumoha.

Second half XI: Mamardashvili (Pecsi 59′); Bradley, Konate, Tsimikas, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Endo, Gakpo; Frimpong, Chiesa, Doak (Stephenson 74′)

Subs not used: Misciur, Pilling

Goals: Nunez (3), Ngumoha, Chiesa

After the half-time changes, Ben Doak hit the post following a saved effort from Federico Chiesa who were accompanied by Jeremie Frimpong in attack.

Chiesa scored Liverpool’s fifth, two minutes from time, when Frimpong crossed to Gakpo at the back post, with the winger having the presence of mind to square to Chiesa for an easy finish.

Cody Gakpo, meanwhile, occupied the ‘No. 10’ role once he replaced Wirtz, and Kostas Tsimikas‘ minutes arrived at centre-back, alongside Ibrahima Konate.

It is important to remember that pre-season is predominantly about getting minutes and experimenting and not too much should be read into where players played.

Among the subs were academy goalkeeper Kornel Misciur and midfielder Tommy Pilling, along with Luca Stephenson, who played in the U21s’ 8-0 thrashing of Celtic on Saturday.

• READ: Darwin Nunez to Saudi reports re-emerge – transfer a “serious option”

Arne Slot and his players now fly to Hong Kong on Sunday evening, where the highest tropical cyclone warning has been issued, closing schools and grounding hundreds of flights on Sunday.

Liverpool are due to arrive in Hong Kong on Monday, ahead of a friendly against AC Milan next Saturday.

From there they head to Japan to face Yokohama FM on July 30, before returning home to face Athletic Club in two friendlies at Anfield on August 4.

Then comes the Community Shield against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace on August 10, prior to the start of the Premier League season at home to Bournemouth on August 15.