Team
Ekitike and Andy Robertson were the two changes to the line-up deployed at AFC Bournemouth last weekend, replacing Joe Gomez and Milos Kerkez.
Ryan Gravenberch started at centre-back.
Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Wirtz (Nyoni, 67), Szoboszlai (Nallo, 75), Mac Allister, Salah, Gakpo (Chiesa, 75), Ekitike (Ngumoha, 67), Robertson, Frimpong (Endo, 4), Gravenberch.
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Kerkez, Morrison.
First half
Liverpool were forced into an early change when Jeremie Frimpong pulled up, with Wataru Endo called upon to fill in at right-back.
The opening exchanges just consisted of the teams trading a shot each; Camilo Duran forced Alisson Becker into a comfortable save before Ekitike went close with a low hit from the edge of the box.
But after that, the hosts were in control of proceedings thanks to a six-minute burst.
To break the deadlock, Ekitike flicked on a corner from the left to Virgil van Dijk at the back post, where Mac Allister was also stationed and able to redirect the skipper’s nod over the line.
