Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool FC face Preston North End at Deepdale tomorrow to begin preparations for the new season ahead. Liverpool will most likely be without the services of three players for this match: Harvey Elliott, Tyler Morton and Stefan Bajcetic. We’ll get into why, for all three players, in a bit.
There is obviously one major storyline that overshadows everything else surrounding this match- the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva
Club Friendly FYIs
Liverpool FC vs Preston North End
Kickoff: Sunday July 13, 3pm, Deepdale Stadium, Preston, England
Liverpool Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Honoring Jota and Silva
Prior to kickoff of this one, the club will pay tribute to Jota and his brother, who tragically lost their lives in a car accident last week.
Jota’s No. 20, shirt has been officially retired by the club.
LFC Team News
Elliott and Morton will likely take some leave now, having been part of the England U21s squad that just won the European championships. The duo have not really had a true holiday to speak of, this summer, so now is the time.
As for Bajectic, he’s still recovering from offseason surgery to repair an injury that he sustained at the end of last season.
Bajcetic now needs to work on building up match fitness.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter