
Liverpool's Darwin Nunez nets hat-trick in friendly win vs Stoke
Darwin Nunez scored three goals as Liverpool defeated Stoke City 5-0 in a closed-door friendly at Kirkby. Nunez, a Uruguayan striker, showcased good form in pre-season matches, including a goal in the previous game against Preston & North End.
Nunez's hat-trick and a goal from young winger Rio Ngumoha helped Liverpool secure a 4-0 lead at halftime against Stoke City. Florian Wirtz, Liverpool's record signing, played his first match after a £116 million transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, supporting a front three of Mohamed Salah, Nunez, and Ngumoha.
Federico Chiesa scored Liverpool's fifth goal after coming on in the second half. The team will start their pre-season tour in Asia, beginning with a match against AC Milan in Hong Kong at the Kai Tak Stadium, followed by a game against Yokohama F Marinos in Tokyo.
The Liverpool squad featured different lineups in each half against Stoke City. The team will be joined by James Pearce, who has covered Liverpool FC for the past decade and will now be reporting for the Athletic.