Injuries could already be disrupting Liverpool’s preparations, with three players facing the possibility of missing the Reds first pre-season fixture against Preston
Arne Slot could be without three players for the first pre-season friendly against Preston
Liverpool’s preseason preparations have been dealt an early setback, with three players potentially ruled out of their upcoming friendly against Preston North End.
The upcoming game at the Deepdale is set to be an emotional occasion, marking Liverpool’s first time on the field since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. Before kick-off, the club will pay tribute to the beloved No. 20, whose jersey has been officially retired in his honor.
Arne Slot only began preparations for the next campaign earlier this week, which were delayed due to Jota’s death. The Reds boss has plenty of players to choose from for the first game, however at least three will be unavailable.
Liverpool is most likely to be without Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton. The pair joined the squad and Jota’s family on Friday to pay tribute to the 28-year-old and his brother Andre Silva, however due to their inclusion in the winning U21s Euros England squad, the due are expected to be given extended time off and will join up with the squad at a later date.
Slot will also be without Stefan Bajcetic after the midfielder recently underwent surgery to repair an injury sustained at the end of the 2024/25 season. The Spaniard featured in 33 games on loan to Las Palmas during the last campaign but missed the final two matches due to a hamstring problem. In May, he had the procedure performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lasse Lempainen, who shared a photo of them together on Instagram following the operation.
Although the exact stage of his recovery is unclear, the Spaniard is unlikely to feature much this summer, dealing a setback to his hopes of re-establishing himself.
Ben Doak and James McConnell are expected to be available for selection against Preston, having both returned from injury setbacks that cut their previous seasons short.
Liverpool supporters will then face a bit of a wait, as the next friendly isn’t until later this month in Hong Kong. In goal, Mamardashvili and Alisson Becker might share playing time, while across the squad, Slot has plenty of options to rotate and experiment with lineups.
It won’t just be new players making an impact on the pitch for Liverpool; Slot has brought in Giovanni van Bronckhorst as his new assistant coach, succeeding John Heitinga, who recently moved to Ajax.
After the Preston fixture, Liverpool won’t play again for two weeks, when they face AC Milan. The Reds will also take on Yokohama Marinos and Athletic Club in pre-season before meeting Crystal Palace at Wembley for the Community Shield.