Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Occasionally brilliant, occasionally shambolic, with improvements needed.

Four of Liverpool's summer signings made their first competitive starts for the club in the Community Shield, which they lost on penalties to Crystal Palace.

Record £116 million acquisition Florian Wirtz started in attacking midfield, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez formed a new-look pair of full-backs, while Hugo Ekitike led the line as the central striker.

The only new face not in the starting XI was goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was on the bench as Alisson kept his place.

And there were some clear signs the revamp may lead to spectacular results.

It is the first time Liverpool have had two players score on their competitive debuts since August 2006, when Craig Bellamy and Mark Gonzalez netted versus Maccabi Haifa.

But Liverpool 2.0 have bugs.

For years, especially under Jurgen Klopp, one of Liverpool's defining traits was the attacking impetus brought by full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

Frimpong and Kerkez are, in many ways, in a similar mould - much more attacking in the traditional full-back sense.

But, while Kerkez is near identical to Robertson in how he plays, Frimpong stays far wider than his predecessor.

Indeed by the time he was substituted, Wirtz was playing as a false nine with Ekitike already taken off.

This freedom allowed the German to float wide left after four minutes, to pick up the ball and play in Ekitike for the opener.

There were 22 passes in the build-up to Liverpool's opener, finishing off a move that lasted 66 seconds and involved nine players.

Until being taken off in the 84th minute Wirtz looked perfectly balanced, always in control, never flustered.

But as Palace celebrated in the sun, the appeal of the wantaway Newcastle forward became clearer.

"Liverpool want another striker," former Reds goalkeeper Chris Kirkland told BBC Sport after the game.

I'd want a centre-back and a forward because we are all greedy in this world!"

This video can not be played

There were also weaknesses deeper in midfield for Liverpool, but they are a cheaper fix.

Ryan Gravenberch was absent because his partner was giving birth, while Alexis Mac Allister was only fit enough for a cameo off the bench.

Curtis Jones lined up alongside Dominik Szoboszlai in holding midfield, and completed all 53 of his passes.

"Gravenberch was a massive miss today - he was my player of the season last year," said Kirkland.

There can be no question Liverpool will be disappointed to miss out on a trophy, especially against the side who finished 12th last season and have several injury issues, with Eddie Nketiah and Cheick Doucoure among those set to miss the start of the season.

But Reds fans should not take it too harshly.
For more news relating to Newcastle United, visit our sister site NUFC Latest Live.