Liverpool return to action on Sunday when they face Preston North End at Deepdale in their first pre-season game of the summer.
It will be an emotional occasion for the Reds, coming just days after the funeral of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically passed away in a car accident earlier this month.
Arne Slot’s side have only recently resumed training, but several big names are already back and could feature in some capacity. Preston, managed by Paul Heckingbottom, narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship last season. They have already played twice this summer and will be eager to test themselves against the reigning Premier League champions.
Preston North End vs Liverpool – Preview
The Lilywhites are preparing for a new campaign after finishing 20th in the Championship last season with 50 points, just one point above the relegation zone.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom, who took charge last August, is using pre-season to integrate new signings and assess his squad. Preston started their summer with a 2-1 loss to Bamber Bridge on 8 July, but bounced back 24 hours later with a 1-0 win over Chorley.
In that game, Stefán Thórdarson scored the only goal after a clever run and assist from new right-back Pol Valentín. Heckingbottom rotated his squad across both halves, giving minutes to the likes of Daniel Iversen, Odel Offiah, Thierry Small, and several promising academy players, including Troy Tarry and Kaedyn Kamara.
With six new signings and six players leaving the club, this pre-season is key for finding the right balance and building team chemistry.
Liverpool’s last match was on May 25 when they clinched the Premier League title, capping off Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
But pre-season has begun on a sombre note following the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota. Several Liverpool players, including Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez, attended the funeral in Jota’s hometown of Gondomar last week. Others, like Alisson Becker and Luis Díaz, joined the seventh-day mass days later.
There were internal talks about postponing this fixture, but both clubs agreed to go ahead, with tributes expected before kick-off at Deepdale.
Slot’s squad resumed training earlier this week, but given the recent international schedule, several senior players could be rested. Others, such as Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton, remain unavailable after helping England win the U21 Euros last month.
As a result, the Reds are expected to name a youthful side. Academy stars like Ben Doak, Trey Nyoni, and Rio Ngumoha could all feature, while new signings Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Giorgi Mamardashvili may make their debuts if available.
Joe Gomez and other senior figures who have returned early could help provide experience and leadership during what will be Slot’s first pre-season game of the summer.
Preston North End vs Liverpool – Team News
Preston have made six signings so far: Daniel Iversen, Pol Valentín, Thierry Small, Jordan Thompson, Odel Offiah, and Daniel Jebbison. However, Jebbison is yet to link up with the squad due to international commitments with Canada.
Six players have departed as Heckingbottom looks to reshape the squad. The club also made changes behind the scenes, bringing in Jason Euell, Andy Liddell, and Joe Walmsley to support the coaching and analysis staff.
Heckingbottom used Wednesday’s win over Chorley to test fitness levels and formations. He expects Sunday’s match to be a bigger challenge, both physically and tactically.
Liverpool have also been busy this summer, bringing in five new players: Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, Armin Pecsi from Hungary, and Freddie Woodman on a free transfer.
On the other hand, Trent Alexander-Arnold has joined Real Madrid, Caoimhin Kelleher signed for Brentford, and Jarell Quansah moved to Bayer Leverkusen.
In the backroom staff, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has arrived as Slot’s new assistant manager, with Xavi Valero returning as goalkeeping coach.
Preston North End vs Liverpool – Head-to-Head
This will be the 88th official meeting between Preston North End and Liverpool. The Reds lead the head-to-head with 40 wins, while Preston have won 26 times and 21 matches have ended in draws. Liverpool have won the last three official encounters, including a 2-0 victory in the Carabao Cup in October 2021.
They also claimed back-to-back friendly wins at Deepdale in 2013 and 2014, winning 4-0 and 2-1 respectively. Preston’s last competitive win over Liverpool came back in 1961. However, they did earn a 1-0 victory in a behind-closed-doors friendly last summer (July 2024), with Robbie Brady scoring the only goal from long range..
Key Stats
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Preston’s 1-0 win over Chorley ended a 9-game winless run.
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They had failed to keep a clean sheet in 12 straight competitive matches before that game.
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Liverpool have won each of their last three official meetings with Preston.
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The Reds have conceded in their last five competitive fixtures.
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Preston have not beaten Liverpool in a competitive fixture since 1961.
It may only be a friendly, but there will be plenty to take away from this encounter on and off the pitch, as both teams begin their preparations for the season ahead.
