Núñez scores 14-minute hat trick in Liverpool win

Darwin Núñez scored three goals in 14 first-half minutes for Liverpool as they beat Stoke City 5-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Sunday.

Núñez, who has been linked with a move away from Anfield this summer, had Liverpool 3-0 up within 20 minutes of kick off.

Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa also scored as Arne Slot's side impressed in the game at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre.

Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool in a club-record transfer from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer, featured in a strong first-half XI that also included Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool made 10 changes at the break with Ibrahima Konaté, Cody Gakpo, Kostas Tsimikas, and Ryan Gravenberch featuring as well as new signings Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.

Alisson Becker didn't feature for Liverpool with Giorgi Mamardashvili starting in goal before being replaced by Ármin Pécsi shortly before the hour mark.

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Meanwhile, sources told ESPN that Liverpool are yet to reach an agreement with Frankfurt regarding the transfer of Hugo Ekitike. The clubs remain in talks about a move that would see Liverpool strengthen their attacking options.

Another Liverpool target, Alexander Isak, missed Newcastle United's 4-0 preseason defeat to Celtic on Saturday with manager Eddie Howe saying his absence was due to speculation about his future. However, Howe also expressed confidence that Isak would remain at Newcastle amid interest from Liverpool.

Liverpool first-half team: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Van Dijk, Szoboszlai, Nunez, Salah, Jones, Robertson, Wirtz, Ngumoha, Nyoni.

Liverpool second-half team: Mamardashvili (Pecsi, 59), Endo, Konate, Chiesa, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Doak (Stephenson, 74), Kerkez, Frimpong, Bradley.

Information from ESPN's Mark Ogden contributed to this report.