Football news - Liverpool score four in first half to cruise past Norwich in Premier League opener

Liverpool made an emphatic start to their 2019-20 Premier League campaign with a ruthless 4-1 demolition of newly-promoted Norwich City at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp's European champions did not need to hit top gear to see off the Canaries, who were punished for some naive defending despite showing promise in attack.

Grant Hanley gave the hosts the perfect start when he miscued an attempted clearance into his own net, with Mo Salah adding a composed second soon after.

Virgil van Dijk was then given too much room to nod home a left-wing corner before Divock Origi was left in acres of space to head in a fourth prior to half time.

Liverpool's biggest concern came when goalkeeper Alisson was forced off injured, with former West Ham stopper Adrian coming on to make his debut for the Merseysiders.

The Reds' new signing was rarely called into action but could not mark his bow with a clean sheet as Teemu Pukki snared a deserved consolation for the away side just past the hour.

Next up, Liverpool face Chelsea in the European Super Cup on Wednesday before returning to league duty at Southampton on Saturday. Meanwhile, Norwich will turn their attention to a home clash with Newcastle United.

Liverpool dust off some cobwebs but have more gears to move through. After an indifferent pre-season this was just the type of fixture for Liverpool to show their rivals that they are very much ready to challenge again this season. The Reds may have made little impression in terms of big money moves this summer, but why fix what isn't broken? Their quality was there for all to see and while Klopp would have no doubt liked to have added one or two in certain areas, there was certainly no need for major surgery given how impressive they were at home and abroad last term. Of course, Klopp and Co will face much sterner tests in the weeks and months ahead, and there is evidently some work to do to sharpen up defensively, but this was a solid enough start as they bid to push for that elusive 19th league title.

Mo Salah (Liverpool). Got his bid for a third straight Golden Boot off to a solid start with a well-taken goal and an assist. The Egyptian produced a lively attacking display throughout and was unlucky not to add to his tally as the game wore on.

LIVERPOOL: Alisson 6, Alexander-Arnold 7, Van Dijk 8, Gomez 6, Robertson 7, Henderson 7, Wijnaldum 7, Fabinho 8, Salah 8, Firmino 8, Origi 8. Subs: Adrian 6, Mane 6, Milner n/a.

NORWICH: Krul 7, Aarons 6, Godfrey 6, Hanley 5, Lewis 6, McLean 6, Trybull 6, Stiepermann 6, Cantwell 6, Buendia 7, Pukki 7. Subs: Leitner 7, Hernandez 6, Drmic n/a.

7' - GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Norwich. The European champions are off to a flyer. Grant Hanley slices a horrible attempted clearance into his own net from Origi's low cross from the left.

19' - GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Norwich. It's two! Norwich fail to clear after dispossessing Salah on the right of the area. Firmino wins it back and tees up the Egyptian to coolly tuck the ball into the far corner.

28' - GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Norwich. Van Dijk stands his ground and doesn't even jump as he meets a left-wing corner with a firm header.

42' - GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Norwich. Origi is left in acres of space to saunter into the middle and coolly nod home Alexander-Arnold's drifted cross.

49' - LIVERPOOL CHANCE! How did that stay out? Henderson sees a shot on the stretch pushed on to the bar by Krul. TAA delivers it back into the middle, but Firmino somehow fails to convert at the far post.

63' - GOAL! Liverpool 4-1 Norwich. The visitors pull one back as Pukki slips clear of Liverpool's defence and steers a lovely finish into the bottom corner.

Lverpool are the first team to score 4+ first half goals on MD1 of a Premier League season since August 2006, when Man Utd netted four against Fulham.

Salah has now scored against 21 of the 23 different opponents he's faced in the Premier League for Liverpool - only failing to score versus Manchester United (4 games) and Swansea City (2 games).

For only the second time in Premier League history, the first goal of the season has been an own-goal - the other was in 2015-16 (Kyle Walker, for Spurs v Man Utd).

Alexander-Arnold is the first player to register an assist in five consecutive Premier League appearances since Mesut Özil in 2015, and is one of only eight players to do so in Premier League history.

Pukki has scored with his first shot on target in each of the last eight league seasons (across Schalke 04, Celtic, Brøndby IF & Norwich City careers); a record stretching back to the start of 2012-13.