But the main event was later in the afternoon with the U21s taking on Leicester City in a Premier League 2 encounter which eventually saw the home side defeated 2-1.
And there were a number of talking points from the clash against the young Foxes - including some hints to possible transfer developments over the coming days.
Key players absent again
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As is often the case at this time of the season, the tale was as much about those who weren't involved as the players who lined up.
As well as first-team squad regulars Ben Doak, Stefan Bajcetic and Tyler Morton, the likes of James McConnell, Kaide Gordon, Owen Beck, Calum Scanlon and Marcelo Pitaluga were all absent as they have been during the opening week of the Premier League 2 season.
It points to some if not all of the players going out on loan before Friday's deadline, although there is a chance Doak and Morton in particular leave on a permanent basis.
There are likely to be other departures, with both Dominic Corness and James Norris - who were on loan at Swiss side Yverdon Sport and Tranmere Rovers respectively last season - starting here at a blustery Kirkby.
Norris took a bang to the head early on but was able to continue while Corness created Liverpool's first chance of a tepid opening 30 minutes with a free-kick delivery nodded wide by a stretching Amara Nallo.
Corness later came closest to levelling for Liverpool in the second half with a drive turned away by Leicester goalkeeper Harry French. It'll be interesting to see where both he and Norris are this time next week.
Hill starts as Nyoni pounces
If there's one player who has suffered more than most from injury at the Academy in recent years, it's Tom Hill.
The midfielder made his Liverpool breakthrough almost five years ago for the U18s but then missed the best part of two years through fitness concerns. His potential, though, led to a call-up to the Far East tour with the first team in 2022, although that campaign ended up being hampered by further issues with last season also affected.
Now 21, Hill is very much making up for lost time. And he made a good start last week with a goal in the 3-1 win over Manchester City in Liverpool's Premier League 2 opener.
Hill, like many of his team-mates, took a while to grow into the game against Leicester, but was key to Liverpool levelling after Amani Richards had given the visitors an early lead with a far-post header. Five minutes before half-time, a poor pass out from Leicester goalkeeper French was pounced on by Hill, who then swiftly fed Trey Nyoni to score past the exposed shot-stopper.
That came shortly after Nyoni had wasted a similar chance after being the direct beneficiary of a wayward ball from French. Hill was more subdued in the second half, but minutes are what count most at present.
Blunt attacking edge
Leicester's Sammy Braybooke had a penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur in first-half injury time, but the visitors went back ahead shortly before the hour when Richards capitalised on a mistake from Wellity Lucky to score his second.
And while Kieran Morrison saw an effort from range curl wide, there wasn't much attacking edge in the Liverpool forward line.
Given the absences that perhaps wasn't a surprise, with Oakley Cannonier and Jayden Danns injured and Lewis Koumas on loan at Stoke City, for whom he was scoring against West Bromwich Albion in the Championship as the U21s played.
Away from the main pitch at the Academy, a difficult start to the season continued for Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's U18s after they lost a five-goal thriller.
The young Reds competed well in the first half but fell 2-0 down through Boro goals from Bailey Palmer and Collins Nino. That second goal on 56 minutes, though, sparked a frenzy of action which saw Liverpool level within 12 minutes through goals from Ollie O'Connor and 16-year-old Joe Bradshaw. However, a strike three minutes later from Frankie Coulson won it for the away team.
LIVERPOOL U21s (v Leicester City): Misciur; Jonas (Miles 73), Nallo, Lucky, Norris; Hill, Corness, Nyoni (Laffey 73); Morrison (Kelly 82), Young (Kone-Doherty 73), Pilling. Subs: Trueman. BOOKINGS: Misciur and Norris.
LIVERPOOL U18s (v Middlesbrough): Hall; Esdaille, Pitt, Pinnington, Evers; Ahmed (Lonmeni 86), Cowley (Upton 70), O'Connor, Bradshaw; Onanuga (Cisse 61), Sonni-Lambie. Subs: Bernard, Enahoro-Marcus.
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