Kenny Dalglish joined the likes of Steve Kean, Terry McDermott and Robbie Fowler at the Academy in Kirkby to watch the Reds come from behind twice before eventually losing out.

Rovers deservedly took the lead on 14 minutes when captain Nick Blackman - who proved a constant threat to Rodolfo Borrell's side, with bursts down both flanks - sped to the by-line and picked-out Hugo Fernandez. He tapped home for 1-0.

A frenetic seven minutes of football before half-time saw both teams score twice.

First, on 38 minutes, Michael Ngoo wove a path through the Blackburn defence before pulling the ball back for Nathan Eccleston who guided his shot into the roof of Jake Kean's net with a steady, right-footed strike.

Two minutes later, Liverpool's Tyrell Bedford came racing off his line to claim a lofted clearance and spilled the ball, leaving Fernandez with a simple finish to peg Liverpool back almost immediately.

Rodolfo's side didn't let their heads drop and from the kick-off they broke down the field.

Ngoo provided another piece of trickery to skip past Adam Henley before the Blackburn defender hacked him down in the area and the Liverpool striker slotted an equaliser from the spot.

The Reds were only on terms for a further two minutes, though.

Matthew McGiveron's attempted clearance went straight to Rovers' Josh Morris who was composed as he opened his body to fire past Bedford for 3-2 on the stroke of half-time.

The home side hit the woodwork twice in the second half with efforts from Stephen Sama and Emmanuel Mendy before Morris clipped a pinpoint cross into the heart of the Liverpool penalty area where Jordan Slew ghosted in at the back post to clinch Blackburn's first three points of the season.

Liverpool team: Belford, Mendy, Wisdom, Sama, McGiveron, Coady, Eccleston (Pelosi), Roberts, Ngoo, Adorjan (Silva), Sterling.