Goals from Lazar Markovic and Mamadou Sakho have given Liverpool a healthy advantage after 45 minutes in their opening pre-season friendly of the summer against Thailand.

It took just three minutes for Serbian attacker Markovic to break the deadlock at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok when he latched on to Joao Carlos Teixeira's through-pass. From there, he rounded home goalkeeper Warut Mekmusik, which allowed him to roll the ball into an unguarded net.

© Getty Images

As the half progressed, Brendan Rodgers's men continued to create openings and they found the net for a second time in the 24th minute, but the recently arrived Danny Ings saw his strike from close range chalked off for a foul on Warut.

Warut was also called into action by Teixeira, Jordan Rossiter and Ings again, but on each occasion the Thai keeper was equal to the efforts aimed at his goal.

However, he could do little three minutes before the interval when unmarked Liverpool centre-back Sakho rose highest to squeeze his downward header just inside the post.

Rodgers confirmed earlier today that he will send out an entirely different XI for the second half, which will include summer signings Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner.