Liverpool rounded off the first of their pre-season schedule against Athletic Bilbao with a comfortable 4-1 win at Anfield, as a young side impressed in front of the home crowd.
In a game that was closely monitored by Softfootball, the Reds took control early with two goals inside five minutes, added a fortunate own goal before halftime, and made it 4–0 early in the second half. Athletic Bilbao pulled one back later but never seriously challenged.
Just as Captain Virgil Van Djik has stated and reported by Softfootball, Liverpool honoured their late player Diogo Jota before the game started at Anfield this evening.
The Premier League champions started fast, and it was academy winger who lit up the opening minutes. The 17-year-old opened the lead with a composed finish after just two minutes to give Liverpool the lead.
Here is the video of Ngumoha’s goal from the Liverpool’s X handle:
Opening the scoring in style 💫 pic.twitter.com/YwznENm6Cn
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 4, 2025
Just three minutes later, Darwin Núñez doubled the advantage. The Uruguayan forward latched onto Ngumoha’s through-ball and slotted calmly past the keeper, continuing his strong pre-season form.
Here is the video of Darwin Nunez’s superb strike against Athletic club from the Liverpool X handle:
Darwin finishes off a 🔝 team move 🎯 pic.twitter.com/LFo2pehf5d
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 4, 2025
Liverpool controlled possession and tempo throughout the half, with Bilbao struggling to match the pace and sharpness of their hosts. Before the break, the Reds extended their lead through an own goal when a low cross deflected off Bilbao goalkeeper Alex Padilla and into his own net.
Arne Slot rotated heavily after the restart, handing more minutes to younger players. The intensity did not drop, and Harvey Elliott made it four shortly before the hour mark. The young midfielder picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and curled in a left-footed strike that left Padilla no chance.
Bilbao pulled one back through Gorka Guruzeta in the 76th minute. The forward took advantage of some slack defending to guide home a low cross past Liverpool’s goalkeeper. But the goal did little to change the flow of the match.
Beyond the scoreline, it was a showcase of Liverpool’s youth depth, and Slot will be pleased with the performance of several youngsters, especially Ngumoha, who played with confidence and flair.
Liverpool will be playing the second fixture of the concluding pre-season game, also against the Spanish side, with a much more experienced side, as the Reds prepare for the opener of their league title defence against Bournemouth.
