Tranmere 0 Liverpool 1: Sadio Mane and Joel Matip among debutants as Danny Ings scores only goal in tight game

LAZAR MARKOVIC celebrated his return to Liverpool from Turkey — and swiftly proceeded to play like one.

Markovic is the £20 million Serb whose one year at Anfield was such a flop that he spent the last one loaned out to Fenerbahce.

He is back on Merseyside but if this was any indication, it won’t be for too long, as he came up with a miss that will be hard to top – and that’s before the season has even started.

Markovic appeared for the second half, as Jurgen Klopp fielded a different sides in each, with first run outs for new boys Sadio Mane, Loris Karius and Joel Matip.

Yet the returning attacking midfielder stole the headlines for the wrong reason when he left Prenton Park open-mouthed – apart from the odd titter – with his 68th minutes clanger.

When Danny Ings saw his effort blocked, it left Markovic with an open goal, and anything but a tight angle – and somehow he side footed it against the post.

Ings showed his team-mate how to finish 12 minutes from time, with a piledriving strike into the corner to edge a win against the National League side.

But anyone hoping to spot Mario Balotelli was disappointed, as Klopp chose not to bring him.

For once the Italian could count himself fortunate to miss out.