Liverpool player ratings: two score 8/10 but one 5/10 in Darmstadt victory - gallery

Liverpool’s final dress rehearsal before the 2023-24 season ended with a 3-1 victory over SV Darmstadt 98 at Preston North End’s Deepdale.

First-half goals from Mo Salah and Diogo Jota put the Reds in the driving seat before Luis Diaz wrapped up the win after the break against the Bundesliga outfit.

It proved a decent workout as Jurgen Klopp got one final chance to run the rule over his troops ahead of the Premier League curtain-raiser against Chelsea on Sunday.

Liverpool took less than five minutes to open the scoring. Virgil van Dijk helped on a low corner and there was Salah to sweep home. And three minutes later, the Reds doubled the advantage when Salah won the deep in enemy territory and slotted in Jota to finish.

It looked like it was going to be an easy night for Klopp’s side but they were pegged back in the 10th minute. Darmstadt played a ball over the top that exposed the hosts’ high line and Mathias Honsak kept his composure to apply the finish.

Liverpool had the better of things for the remainder of the first half without creating anything clear-cut, with Cody Gakpo and Dominic Szoboszlai having long-range efforts.

Alisson Becker was forced into his first real save in the Reds goal on 54 minutes when he kept out Marvin Mehlem. And six minutes later, the home side would restore their two-goal cushion when Diaz brilliantly flicked home Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner at the front post.

Liverpool continued to knock on the door despite making a raft of changes, with Darwin Nunez having a close-range header saved before Joe Gomez’s effort from the rebound was blocked on the line.

Here’s how we rated the Liverpool players.