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Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz.(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\nFive things to look out for when Liverpool face Preston North End in their first friendly of the summerMohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz.(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Liverpool return to action on Sunday (July 13) for the first time since they got their hands on the Premier League<\/a> trophy on May 25. But while it was a party atmosphere at Anfield<\/a> that day, it will be a much more sombre, emotional scene when they walk out at Preston North End.<\/p>\n The Reds are facing the Championship outfit in their first match since the passing of striker Diogo Jota<\/a> and his brother, Andre Silva, on July 3.<\/p>\n It was only decided that Liverpool<\/a>\u2019s trip to Deepdale would go ahead following consultation with players and staff following their postponed return to the AXA Training Centre for the start of pre-season.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Florian Wirtz and signings set for debuts as new-look Liverpool squad prepare for return<\/a>READ MORE: Luis Diaz and the eight other Liverpool stars who still face transfer uncertainty<\/a><\/p>\n While the game will act as poignant occasion in memory of Jota and Silva, with multiple tributes planned ahead of kick-off, supporters will also be given their first opportunity to see Arne Slot<\/a>\u2019s new-look side in action with the likes of club-record sign Florian Wirtz<\/a> set to make his unofficial debut.<\/p>\n The ECHO<\/a> will be in attendance at Deepdale on Sunday, providing you with all your normal pre-match, in-game and post-match build-up, live updates, reaction and analysis. And ahead of the game, we\u2019ve taken a look at what to keep an eye out for as Liverpool make their playing return\u2026<\/p>\n Jota tributes<\/strong><\/p>\n It would be amiss not to start with both clubs’ plans to pay tribute to Jota and Silva following their tragic deaths.<\/a><\/p>\n Supporters attending the match have been asked to be in their seats by 2.45pm ahead of the 3pm kick-off as a mark of respect to the brothers, with tributes then getting underway at roughly 2.50pm.<\/p>\n Claudia Rose Maguire – wife of former Preston player Sean – will first sing a rendition of Can\u2019t Help Falling In Love, which will then be followed by Liverpool\u2019s anthem of You\u2019ll Never Walk Alone.<\/p>\n While the latter is sung, North End captain Ben Whiteman will lay a wreath in front of the visiting supporters in the Bill Shankly Kop, ahead of a minute\u2019s silence just before kick-off.<\/p>\n During the minute\u2019s silence, digital tributes will be displayed on the big screen and across LEDs at Deepdale.<\/p>\n Both sets of players will also wear black armbands in honour of Jota and Silva, who was a player at Penafiel.<\/p>\n Preston have also created a commemorative edition of the matchday programme that features written tributes to the brothers.<\/p>\n The 16-page matchday programme will be free to all supporters with a match ticket on the day. There will be multiple members of staff around the ground handing out the programmes.<\/p>\n Away from the already publicised tributes, it would be no surprise if both Liverpool\u2019s players and supporters have their own ways to honour Jota.<\/p>\n There will almost certainly be banners in memory of the Portuguese in the away end, while his popular terrace chant is likely to be ringing in ears.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, it would be no surprise if the Liverpool squad commemorated Jota is some way themselves, such as emotional goal celebrations paying tribute to their team-mate.<\/p>\n New vice-captain<\/strong><\/p>\n Liverpool need a new vice-captain this summer following the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid<\/a>. And, depending on his line-up selection, Slot could offer a hint as to the identity of the full-back\u2019s successor as Virgil van Dijk\u2019s deputy.<\/p>\n Mohamed Salah<\/a>, Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker<\/a> are the leading candidates as the remaining existing members of the leadership group.<\/p>\n And while all three could hypothetically start alongside Van Dijk at Deepdale, the armband will not be on the Dutchman\u2019s bicep from start to finish given it is the Reds\u2019 first friendly and substitutions aplenty are to be expected.<\/p>\n Debuts<\/strong><\/p>\n Slot is set to hand out a number of unofficial debuts at Deepdale<\/a>, with Liverpool having spent more than \u00a3200m in the summer transfer window so far.<\/p>\n Wirtz is obviously the star attraction, following his British record \u00a3116m switch from Bayer Leverkusen, but supporters will also look forward to hopefully seeing Jeremie Frimpong<\/a> and Milos Kerkez<\/a> in action at full-back for the Reds for the first time.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Giorgi Mamardashvili<\/a> could also feature after officially completing his \u00a329m move from Valencia, which was agreed last summer, with the Georgian set to replace Caoimhin Kelleher as Alisson\u2019s number two.<\/p>\n Liverpool have also signed goalkeepers Freddie Woodman – who returns to his former stomping ground after joining the Reds on a Bosman transfer after his Preston contract expired – and Armin Pecsi. But it remains to be seen if either of the pair will also be in line for maiden outings.<\/p>\n New shirt numbers<\/strong><\/p>\n Liverpool are yet to confirm the new shirt numbers allocated to their summer signings, revealing in each transfer press release that squad numbers will be confirmed later this summer.<\/p>\n But supporters will still get an early glimpse at what digits the likes of Wirtz will wear when team news drops at Deepdale.<\/p>\n Admittedly, such numbers might not yet be finalised ahead of further summer exits and the Reds\u2019 Adidas kit deal not officially starting until August 1.<\/a><\/p>\n Consequently, Liverpool will remain in their Nike wear from last season until the end of the month.<\/p>\n But it is still something that is set to pique supporter interest ahead of the club\u2019s latest signings making their unofficial debuts.<\/p>\n And there is also always the possibility of existing players trading in their current numbers too.<\/p>\n Who plays where?<\/strong><\/p>\n Last summer, Slot predominantly started with a \u2018first-choice XI\u2019 at the start of friendlies in contrast to predecessor Jurgen Klopp<\/a>\u2019s more rotated approach. It remains to be seen if that is something the Dutchman will stick with now he is a year into the job.<\/p>\n Regardless, it will be interesting to see who plays where when team news drops at Deepdale.<\/p>\n There was plenty of debate about where Slot sees Wirtz fitting into his side, be it as a number 10 or a false nine, with it well-documented how the Reds boss helped secure the German\u2019s signature with an impressive pitch.<\/p>\n The playmaker\u2019s role could also have a knock-on effect for the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, with it possible that the Hungarian could now be considered for a deeper midfield position.<\/p>\n