Arne Slot concern as Liverpool lose private Preston friendly despite Mo Salah starting

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was given a first glimpse of the task he has to get his side in shape after losing 1-0 to Preston North End in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Friday. Despite fielding a strong lineup to start the game including Mohamed Salah, Preston’s Robbie Brady scored the only goal of the game with a scorcher from distance to condemn the Reds to a defeat.

The pre-season fixture was held at Liverpool’s training base at Kirkby, with Slot handing starts to Salah, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai. But it was 18-year-old academy starlet Ben Doak who carved out the first chance early on.

With their next opportunity, Salah – sporting his new hairstyle – narrowly missed the target with a volley from inside the area, after Preston had only partially cleared Kostas Tsimikas’ cross from the left.

Both Elliott and Conor Bradley saw their efforts deflected wide of the target before Doak’s header bounced wide as the youngster looked lively. Szoboszlai was withdrawn after 33 minutes and replaced by Wataru Endo.

Liverpool were enjoying the vast majority of the ball and should have taken the lead when Salah’s inviting cross found Elliott, but he couldn’t find a way past Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Just shy of the half-hour mark, the visitors went in front with a superb effort from Brady. The 32-year-old stole possession as the Reds tried to play out from the back and looped a long-range effort over Vitezslav Jaros, before it clipped the underside of the crossbar and went in.

Slot responded with 10 changes to the Liverpool team at the break, although it seemed that it was pre-planned by the Dutchman. Luke Chambers, Lewis Koumas and Kaide Gordon all had chances to level the scoring, but the Liverpool academy trio couldn’t find the net.

But Preston held on to keep a clean sheet and deny Liverpool a winning start to Slot’s reign after taking charge from Jurgen Klopp in June.

The ex-Feyenoord boss will have no immediate cause for concern given how early it is in pre-season, but he will be hoping for an improved display in front of goal as the squad prepare to fly out to the United States next week.

Liverpool will play Real Betis on July 27 before facing Arsenal and Manchester United in early August. Their final friendly comes at Anfield against La Liga outfit Sevilla before the season opener against Ipswich Town on August 17.

Liverpool XI first half: Jaros; Bradley, Van den Berg, Quansah, Tsimikas; Jones, Elliott, Szoboszlai; Doak, Salah, Carvalho.

Liverpool XI second half: Davies; Stephenson, Nallo, Phillips, Chambers; Endo, Bajcetic, Morton; McConnell, Koumas; Gordon.