Some of Europe’s best footballers were on show at the Deva as Premier League giants Liverpool brushed aside Chester FC in this pre-season opener.

A sold-out crowd – most with one eye on England’s World Cup quarter-final against Sweden – were treated to a highly professional display from Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League finalists, who led 2-0 at the break thanks to Harry Wilson’s brace.

New Blues management duo Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson had expected to be outclassed by the strongest squad Klopp could possibly have fielded, and so it proved, as two Liverpool XIs containing several of their European heroes from last season, proved far superior to the National League North outfit, with James Milner, Daniel Sturridge (2), Danny Ings and Ryan Kent adding second half goals for the Premier League giants.

Liverpool’s kind gesture to donate their half of the gate receipts ensured this was a lucrative afternoon for Chester, with only 104 of the 4,500 to have purchased tickets opting to stay away and watch England’s World Cup victory instead, with the result proving irrelevant against such top quality opposition.

Liverpool had promised to bring a strong squad to the Swansway Chester Stadium and Klopp duly obliged, with Loris Karius, Nathaniel Clyne, Joe Gomez, Ben Woodburn and £45million summer arrival Fabinho all included in the first-half line-up.

For Chester, Johnson and Morley handed debuts to nine players, with only Craig Mahon and Jordan Archer surviving from last season’s side. Of the nine debutants, Matty Hughes had previously pulled on a Blues shirt during two loan spells in the 2014-15 campaign.

Divock Origi had the first meaningful chance after five minutes as he cut past Steve Howson and blasted a left-footed effort which Grant Shenton gathered at the second attempt.

Origi looked extremely lively in the opening exchanges and his dynamic run past Dom Smalley helped play in Woodburn, but the Welsh international fluffed his lines.

England international Clyne – who missed the majority of last season through injury – rampaged down the right flank and shot low across goal, just inches away from an opener.

Archer was the next to threaten as he forced Karius into a save when one-on-one with the Reds number one, tipping the effort over the bar.

It was a quiet start from Brazilian international Fabinho, a big-money arrival from AS Monaco, while experienced Blues midfielder Mahon was cynically fouled on half way, with referee Rob Jones calling for a drinks break at 22 minutes.

Fabinho struck the upright with near-enough his first involvement of the entire half, with a low drive which thudded against the post and clear. Wilson was the next to go close, toe-poking a left-footed effort into Shenton’s grasp.

England’s opener over in Samara was met with loud cheers and cries of ‘In-ger-land’ around the Deva, as the supporters packed into the ground roared with delight.

Klopp’s Reds took the lead on 37 minutes through Corwen-born Wilson. Alberto Moreno’s excellent run and shot down the left forced Shenton into a superb save down low, but the ball bobbled up into Wilson’s path and he dinked it over Shenton into the far corner.

Wilson only had to wait six minutes to double his and Liverpool’s lead. Solanke chipped a neat ball into his path which completed dissected Howson and Wilson had the simple task of tucking the ball home past Shenton.

It was a complete change of XI for Liverpool at the break as a side including Milner, Sturridge, Andy Robertson, Welsh international keeper Danny Ward and £58million summer signing Naby Keita took to the field, as temperatures reached a sweltering 32c.

Liverpool began the second-half with a flurry of goals and they put the game well beyond Chester’s reach.

Sheji Ojo was felled in the area by Shenton – who would have surely been sent off in normal circumstances – and former England midfielder Milner slotted the penalty home in his usual no-nonsense style.

Soon after it was four, as Sturridge – who four years ago was scoring for England in a World Cup against Italy – converted from 12 yards as Chester’s appeals for offside were waved away.

And moments later it was 5-0, Ryan Kent curling a cracking effort in from 18 yards after terrific work from wantaway forward Ings.

Keita was close to a first goal for his new employers but blazed over after a mazy dribble, while Robertson’s dangerous left-footed free-kick drifted narrowly wide of goal.

Ings made it six with a left-footed finish from 12 yards after a wonderfully inventive back-heel from the impressive Ojo, and Ings should have added another shortly after but took too many touches when he had the chance to finish.

Sturridge bagged a seventh in the final knockings, blasting home from 25 yards with his left foot, creating the chance out of nothing. It highlighted a clear gulf in the class between the two sides, but this was still a day to saviour for Chester.

Chester XI: Shenton, Smalley, Moran, Howson, Pritchard, Roberts, Burton (c), Stopforth, Mahon, Hughes, Archer.

Subs: Chester subs: Mooney (on 45), Brown (on 70), Trialist (on 60), Hellawell (on 56), Thomson (on 60), Murray (on 68), Downes (on 70), Trialist (GK), Noble (on 45), Marsh-Hughes (on 78).

Liverpool first-half XI: Karius, Clyne, Fabinho, Gomez, Moreno, Origi, Solanke, N Phillips, Jones, Woodburn, Wilson.

Second-half XI: Ward, Robertson, Klavan, Pedro Chirvella, Camacho, Milner, Keita, Kent, Ojo, Ings, Sturridge.

Goals: Wilson (2), Sturridge (2), Ings, Milner, Kent.

Chester MOTM: Grant Shenton – some excellent saves against top-class opposition.

Liverpool MOTM: Nathaniel Clyne – great to see him powering down the right wing after injury troubles.