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Jurgen Klopp saluted his players’ professionalism after Liverpool swept Sydney FC aside 3-0 at the ANZ Stadium.

The Reds boss revealed that his squad were initially less than thrilled at the prospect of a 21,000-mile round trip for the end of season friendly, but was delighted by the manner in which they embraced the occasion in front of nearly 73,000 fans.

Liverpool only arrived in Sydney 11 hours before kick-off but they blew the hosts away courtesy of first-half goals from Daniel Sturridge, Alberto Moreno and Roberto Firmino.

Klopp said: “The response I got from the players was much better than when I told them we had the game a few weeks ago!

“Because I’m the boss they weren’t too critical at that time but I could see in their eyes that they would have done different things.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

“We had no idea how it was going to go. I’ve never done it before - fly for 24 hours, get to the hotel and then go on a coach to the stadium. It was the most intense away football trip I’ve ever had.

“It was so strange to what we usually do but we still performed. My players obviously enjoyed the game. They were concentrated and focused.

“I didn’t say a lot before the game apart from be cool and show that we love football. The boys showed both and looked really well. Our goals were brilliant - really difficult to defend.”

A depleted Sydney FC side didn’t put up much of a fight but Klopp added: “It shouldn’t be a surprise that we have a better football team than them.

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“If we weren’t better then we would have made a lot of mistakes. We are thankful that Sydney FC gave us this opportunity two weeks after the end of their season. They were missing six or seven players because they were already at home.

“I am happy that it wasn’t too hard. We showed our fans that we are really thankful for their support.

“We could have already been on holiday but we came here because we wanted to be together with the Liverpool supporters.”

(Image: WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)

Kop legends Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and Steve McManaman all got a run out for Klopp’s side.

“They didn’t need coaching,” Klopp said.

“We just had a five-minute meeting. They know all about football.”

The Reds squad will arrive back home in the UK on Friday morning on a high following a successful 2016/17 campaign which saw them secure Champions League qualification.

Now the focus will turn to getting their transfer business done.

“The season is done. We have a bit of work to do with transfers and then at the start of July we begin pre-season. We have a lot to improve on,” Klopp said.

“I wish the signings happened tomorrow but the best scenario is that they are done for the start of pre-season. I don’t know if that will happen this time, we will see. But when they are all fit and healthy then we already have a really strong squad.”