Liverpool 2-0 Como Player Ratings: Gakpo & Jacquet's Strikes Help The Reds End Pre-Season On A High As Como Return Empty-Handed From Their England Trip

After playing out a goalless stalemate with a different, much younger lineup at the AXA Training Centre earlier in the day, Liverpool were back at Anfield Stadium to face Como. Andoni Iraola rested several of his first-team players for the initial game, with only Alexis Mac Allister being the senior player alongside Mamadarshvili and Federico Chiesa.

The second game, which started later, featured most of the senior players, and Fabregas' Como played the same trick too. However, it was the home side who were the better side statistically in the first 45 minutes.

Liverpool FC were quick to win the ball back and played it around nicely, reflecting the exact philosophy which Iraola wants to implement at this club. Their efforts paid dividends as Jeremie Frimpong made a darting run to the edge of the Como penalty area before pinging one in for Cody Gakpo, who had already made a smart move, leaving Yan Couto hanging on the left side of the box.

The Dutchman brought the ball down neatly and finished it with his left foot past Jean Butez to put the Reds in the lead in the 23rd minute.

Captain Virgil van Dijk had a chance with a header shortly after, but his effort went well wide. Alexander Isak also saw his shot take a slight deflection and just evade the goal after hitting the post. Como 1907 took a similar number of shots as the hosts did in the first half, some of which required important interventions from Alisson Becker.

Young centre-back Jérémy Jacquet impressed at the heart of the defence with crucial tackles and winning tough duels, keeping Fabregas' men away from finding the back of the net.

He got himself on the scoresheet just a minute before halftime, as Van Dijk played a cute through ball for Gakpo following a corner, and Gakpo found Jacquet in acres of space in front of him, who just had to tap home from six yards out.

This was Jacquet's first-ever goal for Liverpool, and that too on his debut, which surely filled the Liverpool fans with joy. I Biancoblù kept more of the ball in the second half, as they aimed to put more pressure on Liverpool by frustrating them into chasing the ball.

There was some nice, sleek passing on display from Cesc Fabregas' side, but they were largely ineffective in front of the goal, where it mattered the most. Ronald Araujo also made his debut in this game, and the Uruguayan centre-back was quite decent in the odd 30 minutes he got.

This win would surely provide a lot of relief to Iraola's men, ahead of their Premier League opener against Newcastle United, while Como would like to sort out their shortcomings ahead of a more demanding season in both domestic and European competitions.

Check out the Liverpool vs Como Player Ratings below.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs Como

Here are the Liverpool Player Ratings from the Liverpool vs Como Player Ratings.

Como Player Ratings vs Liverpool

Take a look at the Como Player Ratings from the Liverpool vs Como Player Ratings.

Man of the Match

Cody Gakpo was adjudged Sportsdunia's man of the match from Liverpool vs Como.

Worst Performer

Mattia Liberali was the worst performer in this club friendly.