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Match Statisitcs Match Report Match Gallery Head to Head
Sunday 9th August 2015
Stoke City Kick Off - 16:00pm Liverpool

0 - 1

Half Time 0 - 0
Match Report

Rodgers' side left it late to claim all three points, and get their 2015-16 Premier League campaign off to the perfect start against a determined Potters outfit

Philippe Coutinho scored a stunning late winner to earn Liverpool all three points against Stoke in a hard-fought encounter at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.

In a game during which goal-scoring opportunities were few and far between, it was a moment of magic which ultimately separated the sides on 86 minutes, as the Brazilian turned a fired a shot past Jack Butland.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers - keen to avenge a 6-1 defeat in this fixture just three months ago - handed debuts to four summer signings including Christian Benteke, who was chosen to lead the line.

Stoke, meanwhile, lined up with former Liverpool man Glen Johnson at right-back, while Dutch duo Marco van Ginkel and Ibrahim Afellay both made first appearances for the club.

With all eyes on an attack-minded Stoke side, including those of reported target Xherdan Shaqiri, watching from the stands, there were no signs of a repeat thrashing in the opening stages.

Liverpool settled into an early rhythm, keeping the ball in midfield in an effort to quieten the typically-vocal home support, but it was Stoke who created the first meaningful chance. John Walters' guided header drifted just wide, though the flag was raised for offside.

Benteke - eager to make his presence felt following a big-money move from Aston Villa, was linking up well with Coutinho, without creating any clear-cut opportunities.

In a game of few openings, Johnson might have broken the deadlock on 36 minutes after being afforded both time and space inside the Liverpool area, only to scoop a shot comfortably over the bar.

The Potters, as they so often do, were looking to rattle their opponents, and both James Milner and Martin Skrtel went into the book as half-time approached.

After the break, Benteke was again involved, stabbing a tame shot down the throat of goalkeeper Butland. Liverpool, beginning to look the more likely, were producing decent build-up play which lacked an end product.

Half-chances continued to present themselves for Stoke and, with an hour gone, Charlie Adam's wicked free-kick was inches away from finding the unmarked Mame Biram Diouf and Simon Mignolet pushed the ball to safety.

Butland produced a save for the cameras shortly after when Skrtel rose to meet a corner, following great work by Coutinho, and the move of the match soon followed. Four players in red shirts exhanged passes in a flowing Liverpool attack on 71 minutes, but no one was at the back post to meet Jordan Henderson's first-time cross.

Rodgers introduced new signing Roberto Firmino for the final 13 minutes, but it was last season's fan-favourite who sealed the win, smashing home a superb effort with the clock ticking down. Butland could only get a hand to it, and Stoke will feel they deserved a point.




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