Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool 'ready for Stoke' after laboured win in Helsinki

Divock Origi and Philippe Coutinho were on target as Liverpool struggled to a 2-0 win over Finnish champions HJK Helsinki.

The Reds looked sluggish throughout as the hosts sat deep and frustrated their more illustrious opponents.

But it a fourth win in five pre-season fixtures before they return to Stoke - scene of a 6-1 drubbing on the final day of last season - for their league opener next Sunday.

"I was pleased," said Rodgers. "We were better in the second half than the first. We tried to look at something in the first half.

"But our fluency was really good in the second half and obviously we scored a couple of really good goals. I'm pleased - another good workout for us in the last of our pre-season games abroad.

"In terms of everything that the players have been through - all the travel around the world - they are in good condition.

"We still have another week's good work to do, but we'll really focus in on that and come Stoke, we'll be ready."

Liverpool eventually made the breakthrough on 73 minutes when Origi fired home from close range, before Coutinho added a second shortly after.

The performance will concern Brendan Rodgers with just one week remaining before the start of the Premier League season, although there were encouraging signs down the right flank as Nathaniel Clyne and Jordon Ibe showed a good understanding.

"We said at half-time about getting the ball quicker into our front players and into the sides," Rodgers told reporters.

"Young Jordon Ibe had a great bit of skill to cross and Divock was there to finish, which is nice for strikers to get goals in the box.

"Coutinho, it's his side, he cuts in from the left and he's got a beautiful finish on him.

"It was a good win; we could have had a few more goals but also, importantly, defensively we were strong - Simon [Mignolet] probably had only one save to make. Overall, it was a good night.

"They're in the process of looking to qualify for the Champions League, they are the top club in Finland, they have got some good players and it was always going to be a good test for us.

"The pitch was beautiful so it was perfect for our game and our fast football. All round, it was a good night for us and we'll take plenty of positives from the game."