Rhian Brewster shines as Liverpool fight back to draw with RB Salzburg in pre-season friendly

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David Lynch25 August 2020

Rhian Brewster came off the bench to score twice and salvage a 2-2 draw against RB Salzburg in Liverpool's final friendly of a truncated pre-season period.

Jurgen Klopp named a strong starting line-up that offered a hint as to his likely XI for the Community Shield meeting with Arsenal on Saturday.

However, the visitors’ failure to deal with Salzburg’s press during a sloppy start ensured they head to Wembley Stadium off the back of a draw despite Brewster’s heroics.

It is an approach Liverpool should perhaps have been familiar with having faced the same opposition twice in the Champions League last season.

But Fabinho seemed completely unaware as his pocket was picked in a deep-lying position five minutes in, allowing for Patson Daka to be put through one-on-one for a cool finish.

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The Zambian forward was at it again before a quarter of an hour had elapsed, another quick turnover allowing Mergim Berisha to scamper down the left and pick out his colleague for a simple finish in front of goal.

To their credit, Klopp’s men improved significantly from there, and should have halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time.

However, Sadio Mane somehow miscued from close range after good work from Mohamed Salah, hitting a defender on the line when it looked easier to score.

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More frustration in front of goal followed in the second period, with Salah and Takumi Minamino both failing to get powerful shots off after being played into promising positions.

But salvation awaited on the bench in the form of Brewster, whose introduction was part of a slew of changes made just past the hour mark.

The Englishman’s first came courtesy of the quick feet and quick mind of fellow substitute James Milner, who exchanged passes with Minamino before teeing up his countryman for a powerful finish.

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The second owed much to Curtis Jones chasing a seemingly lost cause, the young Scouser closing down an attempted clearance from the goalkeeper that fell into Brewster’s path.

Still 25 yards out and coming onto a bouncing, spinning ball, the 20-year-old still had plenty to do, but he showed incredible composure to sidefoot a powerful finish over a scrambling defence and into the back of the net.

The Reds could have gone on to win it in injury time, a Marko Grujic charge through midfield ending in Harvey Elliott being fed on the right-hand side of the box.

But the teenager skewed the sort of shot across goal he typically does better with to allow Salzburg to hold on for a draw.