Liverpool v Norwich City: Live matchday blog
Follow build-up, live updates and reaction from Anfield as Liverpool kick off their 2019-20 Premier League campaign by hosting Norwich City.
- Hanley own-goal, Salah, Van Dijk and Origi in first half
- Pukki pulls one back for visitors just after hour
- Alisson off with injury on 38 minutes
- Free live audio commentary
Next up
Liverpool head to Istanbul early next week to face Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup final, which takes place on Wednesday night.
Then it's off to Southampton for our first away game of the Premier League season the following Saturday.
Here's the story of the night, as told by Opta widgets...
Full Time
Liverpool 4-1 Norwich City
Liverpool get their 2019-20 Premier League campaign up and running with a 4-1 victory over newly-promoted Norwich City at Anfield.
All of the Reds' work was done in the first half in terms of goals as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Divock Origi added to Grant Hanley's early own-goal.
Jürgen Klopp's side did have cause for concern, however, when Alisson Becker was forced from the field through injury on 38 minutes, handing a debut to Adrian.
Norwich pulled a goal back in the second period through Teemu Pukki, but the European champions had done enough to start the campaign with three points.
Hernandez thwarted in his attemps to get a strike in on goal by a fine sliding challenge from Gomez.
Two minutes of added time to be played...
Substitution
Milner comes on fir Firmino for the final moments.
Alexander-Arnold's blast from a free-kick 20 yards out is palmed away by Krul.
Substitution
Norwich's final change sees Pukki replaced by Drmic.
Hernandez gets a shot in, but it's saved by Adrian.
Substitution
Here comes Sadio...
Mane is on for Origi.
Firmino's shot is deflected wide on the edge of the area.
Substitution
Norwich's second change - Trybull is off for Hernandez.
Goal
Goal for Norwich - Teemu Pukki
Norwich do pull a goal back as Pukki escapes into space behind the Reds' defence and steers a shot across Adrian and into the corner.
It's now 4-1 at Anfield.
Off the bar
Pukki rattles one against the frame of the goal from a tight angle for the visitors.
Off the bar
Pukki rattles one against the frame of the goal from a tight angle for the visitors.
Yellow Card
Leitner instantly booked for a trip on Henderson.
Substitution
Norwich change - Leitner on, Stiepermann off.
Robertson's snap-shot isn't too far away from the bottom corner.
Now Fabinho draws a save out of Krul, who recovers before Firmino can reach the rebound.
Salah is an inch away from his second of the night as the Reds win the ball back high up the pitch through Fabinho, sending the Egyptian speeding into the area.
His shot, however, is just wide of Krul's far post.
Origi and Firmino now both somehow don't manage to turn Alexander-Arnold's low ball over the line at the back post.
It should be five for the Reds.
Off the bar!
Henderson meets Origi's low ball into the area and has his effort palmed onto the crossbar by Krul.
Kick-Off
And we're off again...
The European champions will attack the Kop in the second half.
The story of the first half, as told by Opta stats...
Half Time
Liverpool 4-0 Norwich City
A powerful start to the 2019-20 season by the European champions, who go in at the interval four goals in front.
An own-goal from Grant Hanley set them on their way after seven minutes at Anfield, before Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Divock Origi added their names to the scoresheet.
One worry for Liverpool, however, was an injury to Alisson Becker, with the goalkeeper making way for Adrian on 38 minutes.
Goal
GOAL! DIVOCK ORIGI!
Liverpool might have lost Alisson to injury, but there is no let-up in their play as Origi scores goal No.4.
The striker drifts in from the left and meets an Alexander-Arnold cross centrally to nod beyond Krul from 12 yards.
Substitution
Alisson can't continue, it looked like he sustained the injury taking a goal kick.
So it's an early debut for new boy Adrian.
Major concern for the Reds here, with Alisson down injured inside the box.
Trybull glances wide from a corner for Norwich.
Opta stat
Liverpool have scored three goals in the opening half hour of a PL game for the first time since Feb 2014 against Arsenal.
Chance
It's almost 4-0 as Firmino produces a sublime bit of skill to control Alexander-Arnold's ball forward, swivel and volley goalwards.
However, he's denied by a flying stop by Krul.
Goal
GOAL! VIRGIL VAN DIJK!
And it's 3-0.
This time Salah claims an assist, whipping in a corner from the left which Van Dijk meets to plant a header beyond Krul from eight yards.
Opta stat
Salah has found the net in all five of his PL appearances on a Friday (6 goals), the best 100 per cent record of scoring on a day of the week by any player in PL history.
Another chance for Norwich, another chance for Stiepermann.
This time, Alisson needs to beat his firm drive away after he found space on the edge of the area.
Opta stat
Mohamed Salah has now scored against 21 of the 23 different opponents he's faced in the Premier League for Liverpool, only failing to score versus Manchester United (4 games) and Swansea City (2 games).
Goal
GOAL! MOHAMED SALAH!
Liverpool have a second - and there'll be no prizes for guessing the identity of the scorer.
The Egyptian King is off the mark for the new season, converting with aplomb across Krul from close range after being teed up by Firmino.
2-0 to the European champions at Anfield now.
It's a real lively game, this - and Norwich are more than playing their part in that in these opening exchanges.
The Canaries cause a couple of problems at the back for the Reds before play switches to the other end and Robertson swipes one just over the bar.
Opta stat
It's only the second time in Premier League history the first goal of the season was an own-goal, along with 2015-16 when Kyle Walker netted one in the Man Utd v Spurs match.
Chance for Norwich after some fine build-up play from the visitors, but Stiepermann scoops over from Pukki's neat lay-off.
Own Goal
Goal for Liverpool - Grant Hanley OG
Liverpool have their first goal of the 2019-20 Premier League campaign after just seven minutes - but it comes via the boot of a Norwich player.
Grant Hanley attempts to cut-out Origi's driven cross from the left, but inadvertantly turns it into his own net from six yards out.
1-0 to the European champions.
Here's a shot of the pre-match mosaic on the Kop...
Liverpool have started strongly, but it's Norwich who create the first chance.
Alisson gifts the ball away with a misplaced pass, allowing Pukki to get to the touchline and roll it back for Stiepermann, who scoops over the bar.
Kick-Off
Here we go...
It all starts here, the 2019-20 season is under way as Norwich kick us off at Anfield.
What the next nine months will bring, only time will tell.
But for now, come on you Reds!
Here come the teams...
Warmed up
AXA - LFC principal partner and official training kit partner
Here's a reminder of tonight's line-ups...
Inside the dressing room...
...for the first time in 2019-20...
The Reds are here...
Past and present...
Jamie Carragher asks the questions of Virgil van Dijk in the pre-match host broadcaster interviews at Anfield.
The formations
Opta expect the two sides to line up like this...
TEAM NEWS
The first Liverpool teamsheet of the 2019-20 Premier League season is in - and it shows an unchanged line-up from Sunday’s Community Shield encounter with Manchester City at Wembley.
Sadio Mane is among the subs, however, as well as new signing Adrian.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Origi, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Adrian, Milner, Keita, Mane, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Matip.
On the mic
Our commentators are already in place at Anfield, with Steve Hunter and Dominic Matteo ready to call the action for our free live commentary service. Don't miss it.
Missing Men
Have you taken our first Premier League Missing Men quiz of the season yet?
Well, there's still time before the action begins - can you name the Liverpool starting XI from the 5-1 win over Norwich in December 2013? Click the graphic to reveal the answers...
Last time out
Liverpool were unlucky not win a closely-fought, entertaining Community Shield contest with Manchester City last weekend, hitting the woodwork three times and having a last-minute chance cleared off the goalline in a 1-1 draw that was followed by a City victory via penalties. See the story of that game below...
*Weather update klaxon*
Back - and, we endeavour to ensure, better than ever.
Your Liverpoolfc.com matchday blog weather update can tell you the day has featured alternate sunshine and rain showers, so it may be pot luck come kick-off.
Our sources report the temperature will remain around the 20-degree mark but we advise taking precautions against the rain if you are heading up to Anfield later.
Anfield awaits
And it looks fantastic...
Liverpool's official kit supplier New Balance are giving two lucky fans the chance to win a trip to Melwood to meet Jürgen Klopp and his players.
A prize draw for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will take place on the Anfield pitch during half-time of tonight's game.
Click here for more information.
Centuries for Divock and Joel?
Divock Origi and Joel Matip could both make the 100th appearance of their LFC careers tonight.
Goals, goals, goals
Did you know that the 16 Premier League meetings between Liverpool and Norwich have produced 63 goals - with the Reds registering 45 of them - while 37 goals have been scored in the last seven matches?
The Reds have netted five times in four of the last six clashes between the clubs, too.
The view from the press box
We asked several members of the press for their thoughts on the season ahead, with their answers to the question 'which Liverpool player are you most looking forward to watching in 2019-20?' making for interesting reading...
James Pearce: "Fabinho. I thought in the second half of last season he kicked on so impressively to the point where he had Klopp’s trust, in terms of going into games as the only holding midfielder. That freed up Jordan Henderson to play further forward and I think this will be the season where Fabinho really does flourish and establishes himself as the best holding midfielder in the Premier League. I just think he has got everything. He is strong, he is combative, he uses his body intelligently, he reads the danger well. He is creative as well and a decent passer of the ball."
Henry Winter: "Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (when fully sharp). So much dynamism on the pitch, and one of the nicest blokes you could meet."
Chris Bascombe: "Hard to single one out. I think Fabinho can take Liverpool to another level. Everyone is excited to see if Rhian Brewster can take his form at youth level into the Premier League."
Dominic King: "Alisson Becker. He was brilliant last season and I believe he is the best Liverpool goalkeeper since Ray Clemence. He knows what the Premier League is all about now and I would expect his levels to raise again."
David Lynch: "I'm really excited to see what Naby Keita can do in a Liverpool shirt after such a stop-start debut campaign at Anfield. He was just starting to get going when that injury hit at the back end of last season and hopefully he can pick up where he left off when this one starts."
Ahead of tonight's game, the club confirmed how supporters inside Anfield will be informed about VAR reviews and decisions taken by the match officials.
Click here for details.
Our snapper was at Melwood on Wednesday evening as the Reds geared up for tonight's season opener.
Take a look at 32 photos of their training session below...
'Liverpool are one of the best teams in the world'
So said Norwich boss Daniel Farke on Thursday.
"Liverpool is the toughest task you can get," Farke told the media.
"The focus will be on this game and it’s the first time they are back at Anfield after the Champions League final. They will be pretty focused. They are one of the best teams in the world."
Sadio scored 26 times in all competitions for the Reds last season.
Watch all of those strikes again below - because why not?
Mane the history maker?
Sadio Mane will become the first Liverpool player in history to score in the opening league game of four successive campaigns if he nets tonight.
Notes from the boss and the skipper
Jürgen Klopp and Jordan Henderson's first official matchday programme notes of the season make for interesting reading.
Here's a flavour of both...
Klopp: "A new season is always about opportunity. I think this coming one presents the best kind of opportunity for all of us in the LFC fold.
"As the team, we know we have the opportunity to be better than we were last season. This I love about football. Regardless of what came before you know there are new challenges and new memories to make."
Henderson: "Starting this evening, there is only one achievement possible for us and that’s to win this football game. Our mindset is the only game that matters is the next one we play. So all of our ambitions and all our expectations are centred on Norwich City at Anfield tonight.
"The maximum you can win in each moment is the game you’re playing, so that’s our target. We know we need to be at our best. We know we face a tough battle to achieve it."
The captain on the cover...
Catch up with everything Jürgen Klopp said during Thursday's pre-match press conference at Melwood below.
Topics included the fitness of Sadio Mane and James Milner, the season ahead for Naby Keita and VAR...
We go again!
The Premier League is back and the Reds' quest to go one better than last season's second-place finish starts tonight, when Norwich City visit Anfield.
Stay with us throughout the day and evening for the best rolling coverage of all the build-up, action and post-match reaction directly from the ground.
