Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp assesses expectations from Leeds United ahead of Premier League opener

Klopp's defending Premier League champions concluded their pre-season friendlies with Saturday's bizarre 7-2 win at home to Blackpool who raced into a 2-0 lead as CJ Hamilton's opener was followed by a Jerry Yates penalty.

Liverpool, though, came roaring back with League One side Blackpool ultimately blitzed as Joel Matip, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Harvey Elliott, Takumi Minamino, Divock Origi and Sepp van den Berg all netted a goal apiece.

The victory came on the back of the previous weekend's Community Shield loss on penalties against Arsenal after a 1-1 draw with Klopp's Reds having earlier taken in friendlies against Red Bull Salzburg and VFB Stuttgart - both in Vienna.

After a 3-0 victory against Stuttgart, Liverpool warmed up for their Charity Shield test with a 2-2 draw against Salzburg.

Klopp says his side's pre-season has been "as good as possible" in the circumstances of the shortened break but the Reds boss is now expecting a very demanding first game of the new Premier League season against Marcelo Bielsa's newly-promoted Whites.

The two sides will lock horns at Anfield next Saturday evening in a 5.30pm kick-off live on Sky Sports.

"We have to make sure we now get ready for the first game against Leeds because that will be a really tough one," said Klopp, speaking to Liverpool's official website Liverpoolfc.com

"Leeds have a specific style of play, man-marking over the whole pitch and makes it proper intense.

"We have to be ready for that but we have a few days.

"Hopefully all the other boys now stay healthy in the international games, then they come back and we have three days to work together on that.

"It was the best pre-season we could have had because we cannot compare and nobody will give us a different one."

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Thank you Laura Collins