Liverpool began their pre-season tour with a comfortable 2-0 victory over an Indonesia XI.

Philippe Coutinho sent Brendan Rodgers’ side on their way with a neat finish from close range in the 10th minute.

And after an otherwise quiet first half and a string of changes following the interval, Raheem Sterling was left with a simple tap-in following a break launched by Jordon Ibe.

Steven Gerrard started his first game since undergoing shoulder surgery prior to the end of last season, along with new signings Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Kolo Toure and Simon Mignolet.

But it was Coutinho who opened the scoring, latching on to his own pass – which had cannoned off a defender and back into his path – before sliding the ball under Kurnia Meiga.

Alberto came close to scoring a sensational debut goal in a Liverpool shirt, cutting inside but crashing his strike from 20 yards against the crossbar in an opening half-an-hour dominated by the tourists but otherwise bereft of genuine chances.

The hosts responded as Sergio van Dyke let fly with a stinging drive from distance of his own, but Mignolet tipped the ball around his post at full stretch to ensure the visitors went into the break with the lead.

Rodgers replaced Gerrard with Joe Allen at half-time, while Jack Robinson came on for Jose Enrique.

Liverpool continued to control the game and almost had a second when Aspas rounded Meiga, but the forward flashed his finish high and wide as the ball bobbled up off the surface.

With the hour-mark approaching, the former Celta Vigo man then combined with Coutinho, who also sent his shot over the bar.

Rodgers made eight further changes, with the likes of Sterling, Ibe and Fabio Borini all introduced, and the Italian immediately tested Meiga with a free kick which was acrobatically palmed away.

Sterling hit the bar with a half volley after getting on the end of a dangerous cross by Oussama Assaidi, before then blasting another effort straight into the side netting.

But Sterling made no mistake with the goal at his mercy in the closing stages, securing a comfortable victory for the Reds.