RB Salzburg 1-0 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's side fall to defeat in Austria

Liverpool produced an underwhelming performance in a 1-0 defeat to Red Bull Salzburg in their last friendly before Saturday's Community Shield final with Manchester City.

Reported Manchester United target Benjamin Sesko scored the only goal of the game in Austria, in which Jurgen Klopp opted to start with his suspected second-string 11.

Summer signing Darwin Nunez was the big name starter for the Reds, and he could have got a first-half hat-trick to add to his four goals against Red Bull Leipzig.

His closest effort came when he was found by lively youngster Isaac Mabaya, with the Uruguayan striker turning and shooting first-time on the volley only to see his effort crash off the bar.

Nunez, along with Harvey Elliott, Naby Keita and Mabaya were threats in the first-half, though it was Salzburg who created the better opportunities.

Liverpool were fortunate to be let off the hook when Joe Gomez played Sesko through with a mis-timed header, and the Salzburg star's shot was saved and rebounded into the path of Fernando who had one of the early miss of the season contenders to blaze the ball wide.

Sesko, who was a menace for Liverpool throughout the first-half then got onto the scoresheet after firing past Adrian following some good interplay with team-mate Noah Okafor.

Klopp replaced Nunez, Keita and Milner early in the second-half - all players who you would expect to have some involvement in Liverpool's Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Saturday.

Roberto Firmino, Andrew Robertson and Tyler Morton were brought on before Liverpool then introduced the rest of their big guns at the hour mark.

Big chances fell the way of Virgil van Dijk who headed a corner over the bar and Luis Diaz who forced a save from the Salzburg keeper after a one-two with Jordan Henderson.

Mohamed Salah then forced Nico Mantl into another save, before the keeper palmed away a shot from Firmino.

Liverpool did find the back of the net through Diaz, but the Colombian was correctly judged offside.

Despite the Reds' second-half domination, their opponents were able to hold onto the victory - meaning Klopp's men have lost two out of their four pre-season friendlies.

Liverpool ended the season last year shattered, with their dream of the quadruple flittering away in the last two games of what remains an unforgettable and remarkable campaign.

The players, however, have returned this pre-season in appropriate states for another tilt at the major prizes on offer.

This weekend's Community Shield encounter with Manchester City, the season's curtain raiser, will give a much better indication of where Liverpool are at.