Liverpool kicked off pre-season with a comfortable 3-1 win at Preston that saw 22 players feature and goal celebrations among the tributes to Diogo Jota.
Preston 1-3 Liverpool
Pre-Season Friendly (1) | DeepdaleJuly 13, 2025
Goals
Bradley 33′ (assist: Szoboszlai)Nunez 53′ (assist: none)Lindsay 83′Gakpo 88′ (assist: Doak)
Team news
With 11 players including Florian Wirtz left out, Arne Slot named a mixed lineup at Deepdale which saw an unofficial debut for Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Academy players Luca Stephenson, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha all started with Mohamed Salah captain and Federico Chiesa up front.
Pre-match saw emotional tributes to Jota, including a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone and a minute’s silence in honour of the striker and his brother Andre Silva.
First half
It was an unsurprisingly disjointed start for a Liverpool side missing a number of key names – with natural midfielder Stephenson at centre-back – and with the emotion of playing so soon after Jota’s passing.
That showed as Chiesa struggled for pace as he failed to reach a ball through on goal, with the Italian snuffed out when he could have been expected to score.
The 20th minute brought a stirring rendition of Jota’s song which grew louder and louder and lasted almost 10 minutes, through a water break due to the searing heat.
Liverpool took the lead soon after the game’s resumption, with Conor Bradley the unlikely goalscorer as he forced it home following great work from the bright Ngumoha.
Half time: Preston 0-1 Liverpool
Second half
Slot made 11 changes for the second half with new signings Freddie Woodman, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez all making their first appearances.
It took just over seven minutes for Darwin Nunez to make it 2-0, charging onto a sloppy backpass, rounding the goalkeeper and finishing well before paying tribute to Jota with two of his celebrations.
Liverpool were denied a clear penalty when Ben Doak was brought down after dancing past his marker, while at the other end Woodman made a fine save to thwart Daniel Jebbison.
The goalkeeper could not do anything to keep out a free header from former teammate Liam Lindsay from a corner, with Preston bringing it back to 2-1 late on.
But Cody Gakpo wrapped it up in the final minutes after outstanding work from Doak to press himself into an opportunity to pull it back and, after a dummy from Nunez, Gakpo was able to take the touch and finish.
Like Nunez, Gakpo produced one of Jota’s trademark celebrations in a win that proved a fitting tribute to the striker.
Ohhhh, he wears the No. 20…
Liverpool first half XI: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Gomez, Stephenson, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Nyoni; Salah, Ngumoha, Chiesa
Liverpool second half XI: Woodman; Frimpong, Nallo, Robertson, Kerkez; Endo, Jones, Koumas; Doak, Gakpo, Nunez
Subs not used: Pecsi, Pilling, Morrison
Next match: AC Milan (N) – Friendly – Saturday, July 26, 7.30pm (BST)
