Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's pre-season friendly as Hertha Berlin host Liverpool at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Both clubs are coming towards the end of their preparations for the new season as August draws ever closer, and the need for first-team players to get some minutes under their belts grows greater with every passing day now. This will be a celebratory occasion as both clubs mark 125 years in existence, but the managers will want to see signs that their players are ready for the new season too. Before we get into all that, though, let's first check out the team news...

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana; Mane, Coutinho, Origi

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Grabara, Robertson, Lovren, Flanagan, Ejaria, Henderson, Firmino, Solanke, Sturridge, Salah, Kent

HERTHA BERLIN STARTING XI: Jarstein; Skjelbred, Rekik, Darida, Kalou, Duda, Leckie, Ibisevic, Plattenhardt, Weiser, Lustenberger

HERTHA BERLIN SUBS: Klinsmann, Pekarik, Baak, Mittelstadt, Kade, Maier, Dardai, Haraguchi, Stocker, Esswein

What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, we'll start with the hosts and their most recognisable name for fans of English football is Salomon Kalou, who spent time with Chelsea in the Premier League earlier in his career. The attacker was never quite a guaranteed first-team starter at Stamford Bridge, but there is certainly talent there and if he is in the mood today then Liverpool's defence will need to keep a close eye on him.

Hertha's main dangerman is likely to be Vedad Ibisevic, though, with the striker topping the club's scoring charts with 14 goals last term. He will lead the line alongside Kalou today - as they did on the final game of the Bundesliga season last term - in a side that shows five changes from that defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. Hertha have faced something of a goalkeeping crisis during pre-season so far, but Jarstein returns this afternoon much to the relief of manager Pal Dardai.

There are a few new faces on show for the hosts today as well, with one-time Netherlands international Karim Rekik - a former Manchester City player - and Australia international Mathew Leckie amongst the starting XI this afternoon. Perhaps their most notable summer signing was Germany Under-21 star Davie Selke, though, and he misses out today due to a metatarsal injury.

As for Liverpool, the headline news is that Philippe Coutinho not only starts, but he is handed the captain's armband amid fierce speculation over his future. The Brazilian has been heavily linked with a big-money switch to Barcelona, but Liverpool are determined to keep him and making him captain this afternoon is another statement from the club as to his importance. Normal skipper Jordan Henderson starts on the bench for the second friendly in succession.

Coutinho is part of a front three which also includes Divock Origi and, most notably Sadio Mane, who makes his long-awaited return from injury today. The Senegal international was voted Liverpool's Player of the Season last term, but his campaign came in a premature end when he picked up a knee injury in April which required treatment. He returned to full training last week, though, and Klopp has thrown him straight into the starting lineup for today's game.

Liverpool fans waiting to see the blistering pace of Mane and Salah on the same pitch together will have to wait a little longer, though, as the latter is left on the bench from the start tonight. Indeed, that is the case with all three of Liverpool's summer signings so far as Robertson and Solanke also have to make do with a place amongst the subs. Solanke and Salah have already played and scored in a Liverpool shirt, but at some point tonight it will be an unofficial club debut for Robertson.

Along with Mane, Emre Can will also make his first appearance of pre-season this afternoon having been given extra time off following his involvement in Germany's Confederations Cup-winning side earlier this summer. Can was the last Liverpool player to report back to first-team training, but he starts this afternoon alongside Wijnaldum and Lallana in midfield - both of whom keep their places in the side from the victory over Leicester City in the Premier League Asia Trophy final last week.

While the front six sees just two changes from that most recent Liverpool outing, just one member of the back five keeps their place as Joel Matip starts at the heart of the defence. Ragnar Klavan is named alongside him at centre-back, while Alberto Moreno gets the nod on the left. Interestingly, Gomez looks like he will play at right-back today having primarily featured either in the middle or on the left so far, and if he can impress in this position then he will give Klopp even more reason to keep him at the club this summer. Mignolet replaces Karius in goal, meanwhile.

There are probably six or seven players in that Liverpool side you might expect to start the first game of the Premier League season, so it is quite a strong team named by Jurgen Klopp. Hertha Berlin will not be pushovers, though, and while the club have had something of an up-and-down existence in recent years - suffering a couple of relegations already this decade - they currently seem to be on the up and have finished seventh and sixth in the last two Bundesliga seasons.

Hertha's sixth-placed finish last term gives them a direct passage into the group stages of the Europa League, and they will be keeping an eagle eye on the draw which is due to take place on August 25. As mentioned, they did also earn a place in the Europa League the previous season too, but their European campaign ended before it had really begun on that occasion, with a 3-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Brondby in the third qualifying round.

Hertha Berlin will be hoping to get off to a better start this season, although on the domestic front it was the second half of the campaign which caused them most problems last term. Hertha won 11 and lost just four of their 18 domestic outings before the winter break, but their form in the second half of the season was truly dreadful and in the end they were perhaps fortunate to get away with finishing sixth - just one point clear of seventh-place Freiburg.

Hertha only won three of their last 10 games of the season, losing the remaining seven, and stretching back to their return after the winter break they won just six of 19 matches, with one draw and 12 defeats. In the end no team outside the bottom five lost more games than Hertha last season, but 11 of their 15 league losses came after the break. It is an issue which almost saw them miss out on European football - and certainly ended any chances of reaching the Champions League - so Pal Dardai will be keen to find a solution for it this time around.

The signs have been promising enough in pre-season so far, with six wins and just one defeat from their seven outings. Most of those have come against lower-league opposition, though, and that solitary loss was at the hands of Championship outfit Aston Villa. Hertha did pick up a 2-1 win over La Liga side Malaga recently, though, and this will certainly not be a walk in the park for Jurgen Klopp's men today.

Hertha's home form was what really kept them afloat during the second half of last season, with only the league's top four finishing with a better record in front of their own fans. No fewer than 37 of the team's 49 points came here at the Olympic Stadium, whereas only two teams amassed fewer points on the road all season. However, they did end the season on a low here, losing their last two games and conceded 10 goals in the process at the hands of Leipzig and Leverkusen.

Hertha's biggest summer signing has been Germany Under-21 starlet Davie Selke, who helped his country to European Championship glory earlier this summer - scoring against England in the semi-finals on their way to the trophy. Karim Rekik and Mathew Leckie, who both start tonight, have also come in, while the major departure has seen John Brooks, who came through the ranks at the club, leave for Wolfsburg in a deal thought to be worth £14.5m. Dardai's side have been handed a kind start to the season - a home tie against newly-promoted Stuttgart - but it quickly gets harder with games against Dortmund, Werder Bremen, Hoffenheim and Leverkusen.

Liverpool must also contend with a fairly difficult start to the season, with the Red facing four of the top six inside their first nine matches of the season. Klopp's side begin with an away trip to Watford - a game which caused them problems last season when they needed Emre Can's goal of the season to win - before taking on Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Manchester City, Burnley, Leicester, Newcastle, Manchester United and Tottenham.

Of course, if the upcoming campaign is anything like last season then those matches against the top six will be the ones Liverpool are most looking forward to. The Reds had a superb record against their direct rivals in 2016-17, going through the season unbeaten against their fellow top-six clubs. However, it was the matches against the lesser teams, which Liverpool were expected to win, that caused them the most problems and it is something Klopp will need to rectify if they are to push for the top four - and maybe more - this season.

Liverpool's primary objective last season was to get themselves back into the top four, and they managed that in the end despite fierce competition, eventually finishing one point above Arsenal. The Reds will of course want to close the 17-point gap which ultimately separated them from champions Chelsea next term, but once again their main goal for the upcoming campaign is likely to be a top-four finish - something which will not be easy as the competition between that top six - arguably now a top seven considering Everton's spending - continues to intensify.

Liverpool must also manage a European campaign alongside their domestic duties this year - something neither they nor Chelsea had to do last season. It is of course where Liverpool want to be - and belong for that matter - but it also significantly increases the workload and could well have a detrimental effect on their top-four hopes. Unlike last season, though, every member of the expected top seven has Europe to deal with, though, so it should be an even playing field in that respect.

Liverpool still have to qualify for the Champions League group stages, of course, and the draw for that playoff match will be made next Friday on August 4. There is no bedding in period for Liverpool either - their schedule of two matches a week gets underway at the very start of the season, with the first leg due to take place a few days after their opening Premier League game against Watford. Whether Klopp brings in more players in an attempt to deal with that extra workload remains to be seen.

Liverpool have already signed Solanke, Salah and Robertson this summer, but they have been frustrated in their pursuits of others - most notably Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk. The latest reports suggest that Liverpool have given up hope of convincing Leipzig to sell Keita having already seen too big-money bids rejected, while Van Dijk's situation remains unclear after Liverpool were forced to withdraw their interest and apologise to Southampton earlier this summer. Perhaps the most pressing piece of transfer business for the club at the moment is keeping Coutinho, though, with Barcelona circling for the Brazilian. Liverpool are unwilling to sell him, though, and have reportedly demanded £134m in a bid to ward off the interest.

It has been a successful pre-season campaign for Liverpool so far, and a busier one than most of their top-six rivals too. This is their fifth game having already beaten Tranmere and drawn with Wigan before triumphing in the Premier League Asia Trophy. Liverpool needed to beat Crystal Palace and Leicester to claim that pre-season trophy in Hong Kong, and having returned to Europe they are involved in another tournament next week, facing first Bayern Munich and then either Atletico Madrid or Napoli in the Audi Cup. A final match against Athletic Bilbao follows before Liverpool finally get the real work underway on August 12.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at the Olympic Stadium, which means that it is time for a prediction! Both teams have had decent pre-seasons so far and there shouldn't be too much disparity in terms of fitness levels, but Liverpool have played more high-class opposition and so may be that little bit sharper. Klopp has also named a strong side, so I'm going to go for a 2-1 win for the visitors.

These two sides are both celebrating their 125th years of existence this summer, and in those 125 years they have never met competitively. They have, however, faced each other three times in friendlies, the most recent of which came in 2008 when they played out a goalless draw.

The spoils were also shared way back in 1973 when the two sides drew 1-1, with Steve Heighway getting Liverpool's goal on that occasion. The only meeting which has gone either way was won by Liverpool in 1994 when a teenage Robbie Fowler showed more glimpses of his prodigious talent with a hat-trick as the Reds ran out 3-0 winners.

There is a small slice of history being made tonight as the game will use video technology - the first time Liverpool have ever been involved in a game with VARs. Whether we need them or not remains to be seen, but they have received mixed reviews so far so it will be interesting to see what happens if they are called upon here.

Right, we're almost ready for kickoff at the Olympic Stadium now. The players are out and we're minutes away from this one getting underway, so let's have a reminder of the two teams...

HERTHA BERLIN STARTING XI: Jarstein; Skjelbred, Rekik, Darida, Kalou, Duda, Leckie, Ibisevic, Plattenhardt, Weiser, Lustenberger

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana; Mane, Coutinho, Origi

KICKOFF: Here we go, then! Liverpool get us underway in Berlin!

The first thing to note is that Origi has been a very late withdrawal from the starting XI, with Dominic Solanke starting in his place.

Coutinho has already been caught late a couple of times after releasing the ball. It is clear Hertha have targeted him as a danger man and are looking to make their mark early.

No chances for either side in these early exchanges as they both look to settle into the game. It is a sunny day in Berlin, but the temperature is a lot lower than what Liverpool experienced on their trip to Hong Kong.

There is a decent Liverpool contingent inside the stadium today, although nothing compared to the pro-Liverpool crowd they experienced in Hong Kong. This is a lot more like a European away game, which will be good for Liverpool to experience.

SHOT! The first hint of a chance for either side falls the way of the hosts as Weiser collects the ball on the right flank and cuts inside Moreno too easily, only to drag a poor effort wide of the near post.

SAVE! Another sight of goal from the home side, and this time Mignolet is called into action. Lallana dallies on the ball inside his own area and is dispossessed as a result, with the ball bouncing back to Darida. The midfielder catches his shot very well, but Mignolet is well positioned to make a fairly comfortable save.

Coutinho has his first chance to attack his marker, making progress down the left flank before dropping the ball back to Moreno. The Spaniard swings a cross into the middle, but the keeper comes out to claim.

Less than 15 minutes in and we already have a Mexican wave making its way around the stadium. That's pre-season for you!

Almost a chance for Liverpool as Moreno is played in down the left channel and plays an enticing low ball right across the face of goal. Lallana picks it up on the far side and plays it back to Mane, but he completely misses the ball when trying to sweep it goalwards.

First blood goes to Liverpool, and it is Dominic Solanke who gets his second goal for the club. Lallana is the creator with a lovely clipped cross into the middle, but Solanke still had a lot to do. He has to generate all of the power himself and, while he doesn't catch his header perfectly, he gets enough on it to loop it over the keeper and in.

That is two goals in Liverpool colours already for Solanke, who certainly seems to know where the goal is. The defending and goalkeeping left a lot to be desired, though, it must be said.

Liverpool have not been at their best so far today, with their usual intensity lacking a little, but they have had one chance and scored one goal. This attack always looks like it is capable of scoring.

Dazzling footwork from Coutinho as he turns Leckie inside out, but his subsequent cross is overhit and goes straight behind for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Chance for Liverpool to double their advantage as Mane puts the press on high up the pitch and blocks one pass before getting a ricochet off another. That pops the ball up for the winger, but his volley flies over the bar when he probably should have done a little better.

A trademark barraging run from Can sees him storm forward from midfield all the way to the left wing, but when he looks up there aren't many options in support. Ultimately nothing comes of it, but that is the first we have seen of Can's bursting forays upfield this pre-season.

Liverpool weren't pressing a great deal in the opening stages of this match - certainly not as much as we are used to seeing from them in the Premier League - but they have stepped it up since then and Hertha are struggling to deal with it at the moment.

We're approaching the half-hour mark now, and so far Klopp will be pretty pleased with what he has seen from his side. They are looking comfortable at the moment and seem in control of the game.

CHANCE! Huge chance for Hertha to level things up! Weiser gets away from Klavan down the right flank and has time and space to pick out a teammate in the middle. He duly finds Duda, but his finish is a little weak and Matip is able to get a crucial foot to the ball and deflect it behind for a corner. Hertha's first big chance of the afternoon!

Mane collects the ball on the right flank and invites the defenders to come to him, but they duly accept and steal the ball off him too easily. The winger may not be ready to take two defenders on at once just yet.

Hertha's best moments have come down their right flank so far today. Weiser in particular has looked dangerous, and he turns Moreno inside out here before doing perhaps one trick too many and losing possession.

Chance for Hertha to test Mignolet here as Ibisevic wins a free kick from Gomez within shooting range...

CLOSE! Well, half the ground think it's in, but it's not I'm afraid Hertha fans. Plattenhardt curls it over the wall but it ripples the top of the net on its way over the crossbar.

Does this count as a first ever away goal in Liverpool colours for Georginio Wijnaldum. It may only be a friendly, but I'm sure he'll take it. Solanke wins possession high up the field and quickly plays a pass in to Mane. Mane's first touch isn't the best, but he is still able to lay the ball back for Wijnaldum, who places his finish into the bottom corner.

That goal came just when Hertha were beginning to look a little more dangerous, but it is a long way back for the home side now. They need to score next.

Almost a chance for Hertha to do exactly that as a ricochet takes the ball over Matip, who is a little too relaxed in dealing with it. Ibisevic tries to take advantage of that before going down inside the box, but the referee is having none of it.

There have been a few naughty challenges from Hertha Berlin players today. They are not holding back just because it is a friendly and Jurgen Klopp will have been wincing on the sidelines at a few of the tackles which have gone in.

YELLOW CARD! Just as I say that, Moreno puts in a hefty challenge of his own, clattering into Leckie and picking up the first booking of the afternoon as a result.

The referee brings an end to the first half in Berlin, and it is Liverpool who go into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead over Hertha Berlin. The Reds have had the better of things in the opening 45 minutes and deserve their advantage, although Hertha have also had one or two chances of their own and will feel that they could still get back into this one if they get the next goal.

The opening goal arrived after 15 minutes when Dominic Solanke - who was only a very late inclusion in the side following an injury to Origi in the build-up - escaped his marker in the area to get on the end of a floated ball into the box from Lallana. Solanke didn't catch his header perfectly, but got enough on it to loop it over the goalkeeper and in for his second goal in Liverpool colours.

Liverpool doubled their advantage with seven minutes remaining of the first half when Solanke won possession deep inside the Hertha half before playing the ball in to Mane. The winger collected it inside the box before laying it back to Wijnaldum, who rolled his finish into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

As expected, there will be changes at half time. It looks as though Liverpool will be bringing on Firmino, Sturridge, Salah, Henderson and debutant Andrew Robertson.

KICKOFF: Hertha get us back underway for the seconds half, and the hosts have made one change of their own too with Alexander Esswein coming on.

SAVE! Less than two minutes into his debut and already Robertson is trying his luck. He lets fly from just outside the area, forcing a save from the keeper.

This is the XI on the field for Liverpool now after those half-time changes, with Moreno, Lallana, Wijnaldum, Mane and Solanke making way...

The match restarts! Here's how we line up for the second half...

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📺 https://t.co/u8CsmcgGdx pic.twitter.com/oGekEQg1DO — Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 29, 2017

SAVE! We've seen Robertson in the attacking third, but this is the first glimpse of him in a Liverpool shirt defending - and it isn't great. He is beaten all ends up by Weiser before he plays the ball in to Esswein, whose powerful drive is beaten away by Mignolet.

SHOT! Liverpool respond with an effort of their own as Firmino works space for himself to shoot following a quick free kick, forcing the keeper to tip the ball over the crossbar.

CHANCE! Huge chance for Liverpool to grab a third goal! Firmino bides his time to wait for Robertson bursting on his outside before releasing the ball. Robertson puts a fine first-time ball across the face of goal, but Salah is not confident going for it with his right foot with the goal gaping. Instead, he goes with his left and can't get around it enough to tap it home. That should have been 3-0.

This has been an action-packed start to the second half, with Hertha looking a lot more threatening too. Esswein works some space for himself inside the box before looking to pick out Kalou, but his cross is cut out.

Hertha have been much improved so far in this second half - they must have had a stern word from their manager at the break.

LIVERPOOL SUB: Another change for Liverpool sees Ovie Ejaria make his first appearance of pre-season in place of Can.

SHOT! The ball drops to Sturridge around 25 yards from goal and his first couple of touches tee it up temptingly for the volley. He decides against that, but does let fly with a powerful effort moments later which zips off target.

Salah joins fellow summer signing Solanke on the scoresheet, and this is another sumptuous piece of link-up play between Coutinho and Salah. Coutinho plays a defence-splitting pass through the middle for Salah to run on to and, with the goalkeeper stranded, the winger just lifts his finish over him and into the net. Classy goal, and Liverpool are surely out of sight now.

This was expected to be a difficult test for Liverpool, but they have looked very comfortable so far. They deserve their 3-0 lead and I wouldn't bet against them getting more before the game is through.

CHANCE! Liverpool almost do get that fourth goal as Coutinho and Salah link up again, this time to set up Firmino. The Brazilian tries a chip of his own, although this is a little too audacious and ambitious and it goes over the crossbar.

LIVERPOOL SUB: Another change for Liverpool as Coutinho's work is done, being replaced by Ryan Kent. The fans will be hoping that is not the last they have seen of him in a red shirt.

HERTHA BERLIN SUBS: A whole raft of changes come on for the hosts as Dardai makes his moves.

Allow me to try to identify all of those changes for Hertha - Mittelstadt, Stocker, Haraguchi, Baak, Dardai, Pekarik, Maier and Kade are all on.

Indeed, the only player not brought off the bench so far is new arrival Jonathan Klinsmann - son of former Tottenham striker Jurgen. There is another father-son link on the pitch, though, with manager Pal Dardai bringing on his son, who is also called Pal.

This should be a chance for Hertha, but Esswein does not have the support in the middle. Stocker finds him with a good ball down the right flank and Esswein holds off Robertson before putting a low ball into the middle which Gomez calmly deals with at the back post.

CHANCE! Poor from the hosts as they give the ball straight to Salah inside their own half, with the Liverpool winger quick to release Sturridge. Sturridge goes down the outside this time onto his weaker right foot, and his low shot is turned past the near post by the keeper.

LIVERPOOL SUB: The visitors make another change as Jon Flanagan replaces Matip.

SAVE! Mignolet is called into action here as Stocker curls a free kick towards the top corner. It is a decent strike, but Mignolet is there in good time and takes no risks by tipping it over the bar.

YELLOW CARD! Pekarik is the second name in the book for a cynical foul on Kent.

Jurgen Klopp will be pleased with what he has seen from his side today as he head into the final 10 minutes here. He will be keen to keep the clean sheet now, but the result is not in any doubt.

There are a few players on the field now who will be keen to impress for Liverpool in the final 10 minutes - from youngsters like Ejaria and Flanagan to established players like Sturridge.

It's all a bit scrappy at the moment, and in truth the game has lost a bit of structure since Hertha's raft of changes - as is often the case in these matches.

Robertson drives forward down the left and looks to behind a pass behind the defence for Sturridge, but Rekik cuts it out importantly.

The Liverpool fans are making their voices heard here - they have witnessed an impressive performance from their side tonight.

A win, a clean sheet and a couple of new signings on the scoresheet once again for Liverpool - not a bad day's work for the Reds! They run out comfortable 3-0 winners over last season's sixth-placed Bundesliga side, with goals from Dominic Solanke, Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah seeing them past Hertha Berlin in the Olympic Stadium. Bigger and better things are to come - namely Bayern Munich on Tuesday - but this was a decent performance from Liverpool.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's pre-season friendly as Liverpool cruise to a 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for plenty more pre-season action to come - including Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur tonight, with coverage starting at 10pm on the website. Until then, though, it is goodbye for now!