Liverpool 1 Stoke 0: Mignolet the penalty hero as Sturridge strike seals opening win... while Suarez watches on

Liverpool overcame Stoke in the first Premier League game of the season at Anfield after Daniel Sturridge netted the only goal of the game.

The tie should have perhaps been settled sooner, and debutant Simon Mignolet had to produce a late double save from a Jonathan Walters penalty, and then from Kenwyne Jones to seal the three points.

Brendan Rodgers will have been impressed by his teams style especially, and will have been encouraged by the fact controversial striker Luis Suarez looked happy to be at the match.

Suarez had asked to leave the club last week in search of Champions League football, with Arsenal having a bid rejected, though he was forced to apologise to his team-mates before he trained with them again.

He then seemed to be all smiles at the ground before the game as he paraded his daughter around the pitch while waving to the fans.

Liverpool started the game on the front foot, closing Hughes' side down quickly and not allowing them to settle on the ball.

That said, the former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City manager did seem to implement a new passing style with his new team, despite fielding a Tony Pulis-esque line-up.

And Robert Huth went closest earlier on to give the travelling side a shock lead, firing the ball against the crossbar after good work from Geoff Cameron.

Rodgers' side soon began to turn up the heat again though, having a Sturridge's goal rightly disallowed for offside after 11 minutes, before hitting the bar themselves through experienced centre-half Kolo Toure, who was making his first appearance for the club.