It seems not even a global pandemic will stop Liverpool from claiming their first Premier League title.

Jurgen Klopp’s side had won 27 of their 29 matches before the season was postponed, establishing a 25 point lead at the top of the table.

They needed just two more wins to guarantee glory before the COVID-19 situation stopped play.

However, we’re just weeks away from Project Restart being put into action with the Premier League set to pick up where we left off.

In preparation, Liverpool - like every other Premier League side - have returned to contact training.

But how do you prepare for playing an official match inside an empty stadium? By playing a training match inside an empty stadium, of course.

That’s exactly what the Reds did on Monday as the squad took part in a full 11 vs 11 game.

p1e9pul81q1nfom91shv1n0a14ejf.jpg

The teams were as follows:

In the red home kit: Alisson, Ki-Jana Hoever, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Harvey Elliott, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. Welsh full-back Neco Williams also featured for the red team.

In the black away kit: Adrian, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez, Yasser Larouci, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabinho, James Milner, Mohamed Salah, Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi. Youngsters Caoimhin Kelleher and Sepp van den Berg also featured.

Georginio Wijnaldum was sat on the sidelines as a precautionary measure.

p1e9pumpfk9m81hu219ib121butvh.jpg

While we don’t know the score, the club's official website report that Sadio Mane and Naby Keita scored for the red side - with Mane celebrating as if he’d scored in front of a full stadium.

p1e9pund761enno79105d1a51m1nj.jpg
p1e9punm68lqn1ddvitmafijupl.jpg

The game featured full-backs Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold coming up against each other - something they appeared to relish.

p1e9puoquk391kma1s2skjhldip.jpg
p1e9puo3rd1o771hi81r4ip1140n.jpg

Assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders told the club's official website: "It was an unbelievable feeling to be back at this iconic stadium.

"It's our home. Anfield is basically the second-strongest connection we have, after our own homes. We had a training week full of intense sessions and to finish it off with Anfield was just great.

p1e9pupj2c17e97101e4vcum1ceur.jpg

"We wanted to give the players the feeling of playing and competing without a crowd. 

"We are just going step by step back to our way of playing, knowing that we have to work hard in training and be really committed to our principles to reach the same level that we had.

p1e9pur4f0bb714bl10q3h6812l6t.jpg

"Today was an important step in that direction; firstly getting familiar with the process around the games and secondly giving our squad playing time and competition very close to the environment that we will have in the future.'