Preview: Preston North End vs Liverpool - prediction, team news, lineups

Premier League champions Liverpool will play their first game of their pre-season campaign since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota against hosts Preston North End on Sunday at Deepdale.

Championship side Preston have already played two games during pre-season, while the visitors begin their preparations for 2025-26 on Sunday, but the game will undoubtedly be an emotional affair given teammate Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car accident in the last week.

Match preview

Preston ended their 2024-25 Championship season in 20th place with 50 points, finishing just one point and two places above the relegation zone.

The Lilywhites scored 48 goals and conceded on 59 occasions last term, records that made them the division’s joint fifth-worst offensive and 11th worst defensive club in the second tier.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom was perhaps fortunate that his team survived considering they ended the campaign winless in their final nine league games, with his side losing six times.

Preston were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool when they last faced off in October 2021, losing in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

The hosts lost 2-1 against Bamber Bridge on July 8 and triumphed 1-0 against Chorley on July 9 in their two pre-season friendlies, and they have failed to win any of their past five at home, losing three times at Deepdale.

As for Liverpool, they head to the stadium having suffered the loss of teammate and friend Jota, but the match will take place after the club consulted with players and staff about whether the fixture should go ahead.

Tributes from both teams are planned for Sunday, with a rendition of the Reds’ anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone set to be played, while a minute’s silence will also be held.

Manager Arne Slot faces the difficult task of preparing his side for their upcoming Premier League campaign, though his team should at least be well rested considering they won the 2024-25 title with four games to spare and were able to subsequently rest key stars a month before their final outing.

The champions were the top flight’s best offensive side having scored 86 goals last season, and their record of 41 goals conceded was only bettered by Arsenal (34).

Liverpool played five pre-season friendlies prior to 2024-25, with the club unbeaten in those matches, winning on five occasions.

The Merseysiders lost three of their last four away fixtures of the most recent season, but the league had effectively been won for weeks, and they would likely have achieved better results on the road had they faced more jeopardy.

Preston North End friendly form:

Liverpool friendly form:

Team News

Preston utilised a 3-5-2 formation last time out, and should they use a similar system, expect goalkeeper Daniel Iversen to start behind centre-backs Odeluga Offiah, Liam Lindsay and Andrew Hughes.

Teenager Theo Carroll may be joined in a midfield three by Alistair McCann and Clayton Lescott.

First-team striker Milutin Osmajic is unlikely to play the full match, but he could play alongside Jeppe Okkels.

As for Liverpool, new signings such as Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are available for selection, and Slot could station them in a back four.

Giorgi Mamardashvili is a candidate to be positioned in goal, while newcomer Florian Wirtz could also see minutes.

Perhaps veteran Wataru Endo will be paired at the base of midfield alongside youngster James McConnell.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:

Iversen; Offiah, Lindsay, Hughes; Tarry, Carroll, McCann, Lescott, Kamara; Okkels, Osmajic

Liverpool possible starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Nallo, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Endo, McConnell; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Chiesa

We say: Preston North End 1-2 Liverpool

The match itself will be of little consequence to Liverpool considering the personal loss they have suffered, though their superior quality should still be enough for victory.

Preston may be able to generate opportunities in the final third, but they will still likely succumb to defeat.

Written by
Lewis Nolan

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