Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were both on target in their pre-season return as Liverpool fought back for a 2-1 win over Man City on Thursday.
The Reds arrived at the MetLife Stadium for the second game of their US tour boosted by the availability of Salah, Mane, Marko Grujic and Georginio Wijnaldum.
Wijnaldum, who had struggled with injury and illness in the first weeks of pre-season, was the only one of that quartet to start in a mixed side in New Jersey.
Jurgen Klopp‘s blend of youth and experience struggled to settle into the game in the first half, with the impressive Curtis Jones going closest with a diving header.
Both sides made a host of changes at the break, with Mane among those introduced for Liverpool, but it was Leroy Sane who struck first.
The German raced through beyond Virgil van Dijk, finally beating Caoimhin Kelleher after the Irish goalkeeper’s great save to deny him earlier in the half.
But Klopp made a series of further alterations on the hour mark, and after some excellent work from Rafa Camacho on the right flank the youngster’s cross was nodded home by Salah.
It was the Egyptian King’s second touch of the game and an emphatic return to form after his frustrating time at the World Cup.
Liverpool were by far the better side in the second half, and were rewarded for their strong performance when Dominic Solanke was bundled over in the penalty area in stoppage time.
Up stepped Mane, who slotted his penalty past Joe Hart to seal the win ahead of Saturday’s tour closer against Man United in Ann Arbor.
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