Henderson makes transfer point as Nunez fluffs lines - 5 talking points

Liverpool earned their first victory of pre-season as they swept-aside Crystal Palace 2-0 in Singapore.

The Reds enjoyed the perfect start to the game as Jordan Henderson swept home from Harvey Elliott 's low centre. Mohamed Salah clambered off the bench after the break and extended the lead with a curling effort - albeit Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita giving the Egyptian a huge helping hand.

Jurgen Klopp elected to change every player throughout the game with the Merseysiders still building their fitness ahead of the Premier League's return in just over three weeks' time.

With that being said, here are five things Mirror Sport noticed during the win against Palace on Friday afternoon.

1. Liverpool off the mark in pre-season

Whilst Jurgen Klopp will have played down the importance of results in pre-season following the humbling at the hands of Man Utd, the German will have been keen to avoid two consecutive defeats.

Liverpool set their stall out almost immediately to avoid that fate with the clash against Palace. They got their first goal of the campaign just ten minutes into the game with Henderson opening the scoring, with Salah being on hand to extend the lead just minutes into the second-half to all-but secure the match for the Reds.

Once again, Klopp will not read too much into victory but having become almost a habitual winner in his time at Anfield, victory over Palace will be more than satisfying.

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2. Nunez still setting sights

Arriving from Benfica for a potential club record fee earlier this summer, the expectations of Darwin Nunez are certainly high - justifiably so after he scored 34 goals at the Estadio da Luz last season. Following his first two appearances for his new club though, it is clear that he does not quite have his goalscoring boots as calibrated as he would like.

The Uruguayan missed a huge opportunity in the previous clash against Man Utd and did the same against Crystal Palace. Following a low ball by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Nunez looked sure to notch his goal for the Reds but could not sort his feet out in time to convert.

The longer the 23-year-old continues to spurn those sorts of chances, the more ammunition opposition supporters will have to taunt the Reds with. Of course, the young striker has displayed his ability on a number of occasions in the past so the Reds will be hoping that he is firmly back on target when the Premier League gets back underway in just over three weeks' time.

3. Henderson makes a point after transfer decision

Heading into the summer, some Liverpool fans were left scratching their heads with the Reds not intending to add to their midfield options - particularly after links with Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

A couple of their most reliable club stalwarts - Henderson and James Milner - sent a timely reminder in Singapore over why the club hierarchy are preferring to wait to add to their options. The former's late run into the box for the opener indicates that the Liverpool skipper still has plenty to offer.

Meanwhile, 36-year-old Milner turned the clock back against Palace with a few useful twists and turns, alongside his eye for a pass.

4. Oxlade-Chamberlain hit with misfortune once more

Whilst the Reds will be able to call upon the services of Henderson and Milner this season, there remains questions over the fitness of former Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The England man has dealt with his fair share of injury issues since his switch to Anfield.

He has never made more than 17 Premier League starts in a single campaign as a Liverpool player and was hit with misfortune once more. After trying his luck, he immediately signalled to medical staff for treatment and was substituted.

It remains to be seen how serious the problem is for the 28-year-old but missing the start of the season will be just yet more frustration for him.

5. Elliott ready to push on

One man who knows all about the mental strength needed for a lengthy recovery process is youngster Harvey Elliott. The former Fulham starlet missed out on large swaths of last season following his horrendous ankle injury suffered against Leeds Unite d.

He made his return in February and scored during an emotional FA Cup victory against Cardiff City. Now though, with a full pre-season under his belt, Elliott will be aiming to make a real mark on the first team once more.

The 19-year-old showed glimpses of what he was capable of against Palace as he teed up Henderson for the opening goal with a lovely centre. He was handed the opportunity until half-time and will now look to earn to build his minutes throughout the remainder of pre-season.