Liverpool make light work of Sydney FC on whistle-stop trip to Australia

For Liverpool it was meant to be a celebration of the season just finished; for Sydney FC, a club also with good cause for celebration after their title-winning campaign, it was a chance to prove themselves against a grand old European club – albeit one that was tired, jet-lagged and understrength.

At the end of a predictably pedestrian close-season match in the harbour city, it was the visitors who most fulfilled their pre-match aspirations in a comfortable 3-0 win, much to the delight of the heavily pro-Liverpool crowd, after goals by Daniel Sturridge, Alberto Moreno and Roberto Firmino set up the mother of all smash and grabs.

Liverpool will turn round their post-season trip to Australia in devastatingly quick, and possibly unprecedented, fashion: in not much longer than it takes to say “veni, vidi, vici”, Liverpool came on Wednesday morning, saw the Opera House in the afternoon and conquered Sydney in the evening. Having secured their place in next season’s Champions League just on Sunday, Jürgen Klopp’s side will return to Liverpool on Thursday evening, having made their mark on Australia once again in just 36 hours – and banked a presumably sizeable cheque for their efforts.

“That was the most intense away game I’ve ever had,” said Klopp. “I’ve no idea how the players did it. Obviously they’ve enjoyed it.” When asked what the players’ response was on being told they were expected to travel to the other side of the world at the end of a long, hard campaign, Klopp added: “Because I’m the boss, they were not too critical but I could see in their eyes they would have done different things.”

Few in the crowd were here to watch the A-League champions, who had to settle for the role of bridesmaids, two weeks after they were headlining in their grand final win over Melbourne Victory. Make no mistake, this was a night all about Liverpool, from the rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone and the massive club badge in the centre circle before the game to the rousing reception given to veteran call-ups Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher on their substitution moments into the second half. That pair were replaced by Steve McManaman and Daniel Agger, a sepia-tinged change that only added to the festival atmosphere.

The massed ranks in the stands at ANZ Stadium – some 72,892 of them – wore red almost as one; they were entirely united in standing together before kick-off as both sides paused for reflection with their heads bowed to pay tribute to the victims of the Manchester Arena attack, half a world away but still keenly felt here.

Missing stars Philippe Coutinho and Emre Can, who didn’t make the trip, and with James Milner, Nathanial Clyne and Georginio Wijnaldum not named in the squad, Liverpool fielded just three of their 11 starters who beat Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Sunday – Dejan Lovren, Firmino and Sturridge.

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Sydney FC, missing their own star man, Miloš Ninković, plus Jordy Bjuis, Bernie Ibini and the departed Filip Hološko, otherwise put out a strong team. Nevertheless, there is no hiding the clear gulf in class between any team in England’s top flight and one from the A-League, even on a night like this.

With the likes of Firmino showing early flashes of class and Gerrard turning back the clock with the odd touch that made the crowd swoon, Liverpool dominated the early stages.

Sturridge, whose future is likely to dominate headlines over the UK summer, also shone early and it was he who opened the scoring on seven minutes, having turned Alex Wilkinson inside out before finding the bottom corner.

Firmino stamped his authority on the game 11 minutes later with a beautifully judged dink over the top of a static Sydney backline and Moreno finished with aplomb, volleying neatly past Danny Vukovic.

Sturridge was again at the heart of the action on 39 minutes, crossing for Firmino to get the final touch as Wilkinson floundered while the best Sydney could muster was an effort from David Carney – who started his professional career on Merseyside, on the other side of Stanley Park on Everton’s books – that cannoned off the woodwork on the stroke of half-time.

Gerrard was denied a penalty – and presumably the chance to take it himself – just before half-time, much to the annoyance of the crowd and, as the sides came off, Klopp berated the official. It was difficult to tell whether his anger was genuine or if he was playing up to the crowd.

The inevitable raft of changes came at the break as both teams used the match to hand out a bit of experience to younger members of their squads, and the flow of the game suffered, to the extent that a Mexican wave and a hail of paper aeroplanes thrown towards the pitch from the bleachers generated the biggest cheers of the second half until Ben Woodburn almost delivered a fourth goal for Liverpool with a mazy solo run and shot.

That was to be the last of the meaningful action, but the crowd did not go home disappointed. Nor did Klopp, who indicated afterwards the long journey was a worthwhile exercise, if not for football reasons, but at least to reach out to the club’s global fan base.

“We are here to show ourselves, the club, Liverpool FC,” he said. “We’re really thankful Sydney FC gave us the opportunity two weeks after their season [ended]. We’re really thankful for the support. That’s why we’re here. We could have done other things, we could have been already on holiday but we came here because we wanted to be together with the Liverpool supporters.”