The forward struck the only goal of the game midway through the first half at Anfield as the Reds recorded back-to-back triumphs in the Barclays Premier League.

They were made to work hard for the points as the newly-promoted outfit rallied after the interval, but the win and another clean sheet ensured a satisfying evening.

The Liverpool teamsheet was a carbon copy of the one at Stoke City, with exactly the same starting XI and substitutes selected by Brendan Rodgers for the first Anfield game of the new season.