Gravenberch opened the scoring in the 10th minute at Anfield with a fine finish and then teed up Ekitike to double the Reds’ lead on the half-hour mark.
Idrissa Gueye pulled one back for the Blues in the second half, but Arne Slot’s men held on to maintain their perfect start to the defence of the Premier League title after five games
Team news
There were four changes to the line-up that secured the late, late Champions League win against Atletico Madrid three days earlier.
Ekitike, Alexis Mac Allister, Conor Bradley and Milos Kerkez were the quartet that returned to the hosts’ starting XI.
Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister (Jones, 61), Salah, Bradley, Gakpo (Wirtz, 61), Ekitike (Isak, 67), Gravenberch.
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Robertson, Frimpong, Ngumoha.
First half
The opener from Gravenberch was Liverpool’s first real clear-cut opportunity of the affair, and the midfielder dispatched his chance with the proficiency of its creator, Mohamed Salah.
Salah clipped a cross into the box from the right channel to find the run of Gravenberch, who then brilliantly directed the bouncing ball over Jordan Pickford and into the far corner.