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Florian Wirtz of Liverpool in action during a pre-season friendly match at AXA Training Centre (Image: 2025 Liverpool FC)

Liverpool continued their pre-season preparations with a 5-0 thrashing of Stoke City in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Sunday, prior to flying out to Hong Kong for the start of their tour of Asia.

So the ECHO have taken a closer look at proceedings against the Potters, and here’s what we spotted from Liverpool’s run-out at the AXA Training Centre…

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While Nunez grabbed the headlines with a 14-minute hat-trick in the first half, taking his pre-season total to four goals from just two 45-minute outings, Wirtz made his own mark in the number 10 role behind the Uruguayan.

The playmaker created Nunez’s opener as he received the ball from Trey Nyoni, shrugged off a challenge and threaded through a through-ball into the box.

Admittedly, it was intended for Dominik Szoboszlai, but with a Stoke defender deflecting the pass, it fell kindly to Nunez to side-foot home with a first-time finish.

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There was no doubt about Wirtz’s second assist as he created Ngumoha’s goal.

Starting a counter-attack on the edge of his own box with a smart turn and pass to Mohamed Salah, the German sprinted forward before eventually getting the ball back from Ngumoha.

Playing a simple one-two with Curtis Jones, he then picked out Ngumoha with a simple pass into the box as the teenager powered home for the Reds’ fourth goal of the game.

Registering goal contributions at the first time of asking for Liverpool, Wirtz wasted no time in making an early impact with such a showing an inevitable sign of things to come.

Having come on at right-back at half-time against Preston North End for his unofficial Liverpool debut, Jeremie Frimpong was instead utilised as a right-winger against Stoke City.

With his rapid pace already well-documented, he was a threat from start to finish in his 45-minute showing as he repeatedly showed his threat in the final third.

The Dutchman came close to scoring early in the half as he cut inside onto his left foot and curled just over.

Ben Doak would then be denied by the post when connecting on the volley from the rebound.

Cody Gakpo and Luca Stephenson would also go close from Frimpong crosses, with the former denied by the goalkeeper after bringing down a lofted cross to the far post

Meanwhile, Stephenson would side-foot over with a first-time effort after running onto a Frimpong cutback.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man did manage to help create the Reds’ fifth goal though after playing a smart one-two with Bradley.

Sprinting down the right, he crossed low for Gakpo at the far post who then cut it back across to gift Chiesa a simple tap-in.

Frimpong’s versatility on the right-flank was one of the reasons why Liverpool decided to sign him in the first place.

With Salah due to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations over the festive period, Frimpong demonstrated here why the Reds trust him as an option to deputise for the Egyptian.

Chiesa was a surprise absentee when the Liverpool travelling squad to Asia was named hours after the win over Stoke.

But he’s shown what he can offer in the role as Arne Slot experiments with Liverpool’s set-up.

Elsewhere, Doak was utilised as a number 10 rather than out wide after being introduced at half-time and linked up well with Chiesa in attack, while Kostas Tsimikas came on at centre-back, like Andy Robertson against Preston, with Milos Kerkez instead fielded at left-back.

With Salah and Robertson both starting against Stoke, along with Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson Becker not included in the squad, Liverpool took to the field without any members of their leadership group in the second half.

As a result, Ibrahima Konate took on the captain’s armband.

In the past, under Jurgen Klopp, it would be handed to the club’s longest-serving player in the absence of the leadership group members.

Yet the Frenchman, who has captained his country in the past, donned the armband ahead of Tsimikas.

Konate’s Anfield future remains uncertain ahead of his contract expiring next summer, but his importance to Liverpool, for however long he remains their player, is unquestionable.

Nyoni and Ngumoha once again caught the eye after both were named in a strong starting XI by Slot.

The former, stationed alongside Jones in a deeper midfield pairing, played his part in two goals, first playing the ball through the lines to Wirtz to set up the opener after receiving possession from Van Dijk.

The 18-year-old then intercepted well in the center-circle before spraying the ball wide to Szoboszlai to create Liverpool’s second.

Meanwhile, Ngumoha scored his first ever goal for the Reds’ first team when linking up well with Writz and firing home from the edge of the box with a deflected effort.

A bag of tricks throughout, the 16-year-old repeatedly caused the Stoke defence problems with his dribbling abilities, while also managing to retain possession.

Having also impressed against Preston, the pair will be hoping for further senior opportunities during the tour of the Far East.

The Liverpool squad once again wore black armbands in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, against Stoke as the club continues to mourn following the passing of the Portuguese striker in a car crash earlier this month.

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Further tributes are anticipated throughout the summer with the Reds facing Athletic Bilbao in their first match at Anfield following Jota’s death, facing Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley and then hosting Bournemouth in their Premier League opener.