Red Bull Salzburg 1 Liverpool 0: Reds beaten in pre-season after Man Utd target Sesko puts on impressive display
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LIVERPOOL have fallen 1-0 to RB Salzburg in their final friendly before Saturday's Community Shield.
The Reds will take on Manchester City this weekend looking very different to the side that took on the Austrians this evening.
The likes of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold were left on the bench as Jurgen Klopp fielded an experimental starting XI.
Liverpool beat Manchester United to the signing of Darwin Nunez from Benfica earlier this summer.
But it was another Red Devils target that stole the show on Wednesday night.
Teenage striker Benjamin Sesko has been linked with United in recent days.
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The Slovenian, 19, confidently fired Salzburg into the lead just after the half hour mark against the Reds.
He left Ibrahima Konate for dust after a smart one-two with Okafor and smashed it past Adrian.
And he then produced an outrageous piece of skill on the stroke of half-time as he showed he wouldn't be over-awed by his illustrious opponents.
Nunez had already hit the bar and Salzburg had one disallowed when star man Sesko headed in off Fernando on the stroke of half-time.
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But the forward was offside.
Both teams had chances as Klopp rang the changes at half-time and Firmino played in Diaz to score with seven minutes remaining.
But alas, the offside flag was up again.
Klopp called on the likes of Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Thiago and Roberto Firmino in the second-half, after an underwhelming display from Uruguayan Nunez.
Roberto Firmino came off the bench at half-time but could not do anything to turn the game around
The Brazilian striker’s future is in doubt with Italian reports suggesting the Reds are in advanced talks with Juventus over a £16million move.
Firmino, 30, only has a year left on his contract and has dropped down the Reds pecking order after Nunez arrived from Benfica in June.
The Merseysiders would reportedly consider letting him leave, as long as they can sign a replacement.
And 55-cap ace Firmino is keen to play regularly so he is in prime position for Brazil selection ahead of the Qatar winter World Cup.