Liverpool hammer Barça resounding 4-0 at Wembley

RESULT: Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona; Mane (15′), Mascherano (47′ og.), Origi (48′), Grujic (92′)

Liverpool have sent a message to all contenders of the new Premier League season.

The message was via an impressive 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the International Champions Cup.

New guy on the bloc, Sadio Mane shone as bright as a star for the Merseyside giants.

Jurgen Klopp’s men took full advantage of a laboured displayed from their opponents at Wembley Stadium.

The Premier League side were fast out of the blocks in North London and they should have taken the lead after just 30 seconds.

Georginio Wijnaldum, however, volleyed wide from 10 yards out.

Undaunted, the Reds continued to dominate the opening 15 minutes.

Their rewarded came when Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino linked up to play in Mane, who rifled the ball into the top corner from inside the penalty area.

Barcelona had barely touched the ball in the final third but they came to life midway through the first half.

Luis Suarez had passed the ball into Lionel Messi, who fired the ball against the post with Simon Mignolet beaten.

Just before the half-hour mark, Mignolet blocked a shot from Arda Turan.

The Belgian stopper had to be called upon just before half time as he got in the way of a well-struck volley from Luis Suarez.

At half time, Barcelona were arguably still favourites to win the match – despite the narrow deficit.

All that changed within three minutes of the second half as Liverpool all but sealed victory.

After dispossessing Juan Camara, Mane got to the by-line before crossing for Jordan Henderson.

Although the midfielder missed the ball, it ricocheted off Javier Mascherano and trickled into the net.

Barcelona needed time to regroup but they fell further behind within a minute after Emre Can out-muscled Sergio Busquets before playing a sublime through-ball to Divock Origi.

Origi took his time before driving the ball into the bottom corner.

On 52 minutes, Liverpool should have moved four goals ahead.

Firmino was sent clear of a wilting Barcelona defence but he failed to bend the ball into the far corner from inside the area.

The La Liga side were having plenty of possession but failing to do anything with it as Liverpool’s backline stood firm.

Messi and Suarez eventually departed the action without doing anything of note during the second half.

Chances were few and far between during the closing stages.

The impressive Mane almost netted his second when he jinked his way past three Barcelona players, only to curl his effort wide of the far post.

It looked like the game would end 3-0 but deep into added-on time, Lazar Markovic produced the deftest of crosses for Marko Grujic .

Grujic  directed a looping header into the far corner of the net to cap off a highly encouraging performance from Klopp’s side.

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