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Sturridge urges new Liverpool signings: 'Go out and perform'

Sturridge tells them that they must hit the ground running

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP

LIVERPOOL 2

(Divock Origi 59, Roberto Firmino 73)

AC MILAN 0

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has told his new teammates that there is no time for them to bed in and the expectation at Anfield is for them to hit the ground running.

The Reds have signed seven new players, including big-money purchases Sadio Mane from Southampton and Georginio Wijnaldum from Newcastle United.

Sturridge told the club's official website: "They come here and bring things we may not have had.

"Mane has got a lot of speed on the wings; we did have that before, but he's a different kind of player. He has got goals in him as well.

"And the same with Wijnaldum - he is someone who can provide chances for players and score goals.

"Not just those two, there are other players we have signed and I'm sure it will be a big season for them.

"These two players have obviously played in the Premier League and got the experience, so there's no need for a bedding-in period with them, it's more a case of going out there and performing.

"For some of the other players, it might take time and the expectation level at Liverpool is so big that everyone has to perform when they arrive."

The Merseyside club have been performing well in pre-season, with second-half goals from Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino giving the Reds a 2-0 victory over AC Milan in their International Champions Cup clash in California yesterday morning (Singapore time).

Origi broke the deadlock in the 59th minute, showing good footwork before cutting inside and shooting into the far corner.

Firmino doubled Liverpool's lead on 73 minutes, sliding in at the far post to tap in a deflected cross from substitute Sheyi Ojo.

The result left Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp a happy man, as he lauded a "dominant" performance.

He said: "Especially tonight, it's not a night for talking about individual players.

"If you want to talk, it's the way we played and the style of play and the dominance we had and the passing situations we had.

"In the first half, we played brilliantly, we did the right thing - passed and passed and passed all the time until we were through.

"We created chances and didn't score, we didn't finish. But it will come, 100 per cent."

Belgium striker Origi is confident of a big season ahead.

He said: "It can be (a big season). I have to work a lot, I still have a lot of room for improvement.

LACKED PATIENCE

"Again we lost a little bit of patience and chose the wrong way because we had one or two long balls too many and forced the play when we lost the patience to pass again.

"As a team, we're also learning so I think I can feel the confidence from everyone."

Reds captain Jordan Henderson is confident that the 21-year-old will have a "big season".

He said: "I thought he finished the season brilliantly. He then got a bad injury, but he's looking sharp pre-season again.

"I think he's going to have a big season because he's a big player for us."

- Wire Services.

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