Valarenga vs. Liverpool: 6 Things We Learned

Liverpool made it six preseason wins from six matches with a convincing 4-1 victory over Valerenga in Oslo on Wednesday evening.

The Reds may have conceded a goal for the first time in their preseason campaign―and indeed for the first time since Dimitar Berbatov netting for Fulham in the Reds' 3-1 win at Craven Cottage towards the back end of last season―but that didn't distract from a victory made all the more impressive given that it came in response to Luis Suarez's latest media outburst.

A fine volley from Luis Alberto gave the Reds the lead, only for Geancarlo Gonzalez to head home a corner to equalise for the hosts.

Iago Aspas converted a Stewart Downing centre to score his fourth goal of the preseason and give the Reds the lead before the break, with Martin Kelly bundling home a header to make it 3-1 in the second half.

Raheem Sterling then fired home the fourth late on, putting the seal on another strong display.

Here are six things that Liverpool and boss Brendan Rodgers will have learned.

Martin Kelly Can Be Liverpool's 'New' Defender

He scored a goal and so he's bound to receive more recognition than usual―even if the Andy Carroll-esque hair might already be doing that for him―but the return of Martin Kelly might just be one of the most important aspects of Liverpool's preseason.

The academy product once again looks comfortable at both right-back and in the centre of defence, and―now 23 years old―he'll feel as though he's entering into yet another huge season.

Injury robbed him of that opportunity in the last campaign, but this time around could be different.

Maybe Liverpool don't need to splash the cash on an expensive defender after all.

Iago Aspas Looks an Excellent Signing

Talk of Liverpool forwards these days can't be complete without mention of a certain Uruguayan, but the presence of Iago Aspas goes to show that Liverpool have been busy improving their strikeforce this season.

Goals against Preston, Melbourne Victory and the Thailand national team were added to here, with Aspas' excellent movement allowing him to slot home a Stewart Downing cross shortly before half-time to put the Reds 2-1 up.

Of course goals in preseason don't always mean outright success when the real stuff starts, but having impressed the Anfield crowd against Olympiakos last weekend Aspas has certainly made a lot of friends with Liverpool fans so far.

Maybe a certain teammate could take note.

Luis Alberto Can Fit in Nicely

Social media has such a big impact on how we live these days, and it can be a window into just how we feel too.

It may be a small thing in the grand scheme, but Luis Alberto's Twitter feed has been a joy to witness for Liverpool fans ever since his move from Sevilla in the summer. He's very quickly got to grips with life on Merseyside and seems to have slotted in easily.

He's intelligent too, and showed that with another strong performance in Oslo.

The highlight came with his fine volley to give the Reds the lead on the half hour mark, and the hope has to be that he can kick on from here and have even more successes to tweet about.

"

I can´t describe what this first goal means to me. Thanks all for the support. #LFC #YNWA #VeryHappy pic.twitter.com/J1a4R7ZsvS

— Luis Alberto Romero (@14_luisalberto) August 7, 2013"

Captain Henderson

It was only a friendly, and he's not likely to get anywhere near the armband when Steven Gerrard and Daniel Agger―who was injured here but is likely to end up a the Reds' vice-captain―return to the starting lineup, but Oslo represented the end to a good few days for Jordan Henderson.

Now too old to continue as England under-21 captain, Henderson took the armband for the Reds for the first time against Valerenga.

The arrival of Alberto and return to fitness of Joe Allen means that the former Sunderland man is set for yet another battle this season, but he won't have expected anything else.

His goal against Olympiakos last weekend will have boosted his confidence, and that confidence will only have shot up again when Rodgers handed him the armband in Norway.

He'll be ready to take on the world now.

Set Piece Pain, but Mignolet Remains Clean

Liverpool conceded a goal for the first time in preseason, and whilst Rodgers confirmed that he was far from happy about that (LiverpoolFC.com) at least it didn't dent Simon Mignolet's record.

No. 2 goalkeeper Brad Jones could have done little about Gonzalez's header from a corner which briefly ensured that Valerenga pulled level in the contest, but the Reds ensured that the goal hardly mattered.

Mignolet played the second half as Liverpool cruised to their win, and he and Rodgers will now feel it's important that the Belgian keeps up his shutout record heading in to the new season, as that could see his confidence sky-rocket.

As he replaces a club icon in Pepe Reina, Mignolet will need all that confidence too.

Six Down, One to Go

Take away the Suarez saga, and there can't be many Premier League managers who are happier with their preseason programme as Rodgers is.

Six games, six wins, 17 goals, nine different scorers and just one conceded adds up to a good few weeks for the Reds, who will round off their preseason programme with a glamour friendly against Celtic at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Whether Rodgers has a starting line-up in mind for the opening game of the season against Stoke City at Anfield isn't clear, but the boss has been given plenty of encouragement from a preseason programme which has shown all that is good about the current crop of players at the club.

If anyone doesn't want to be a part of that then fine, but Rodgers can only hope that they don't drag the others away with them.

He's trying to build something, and right now it looks okay.