Liverpool pre-season tracker: Reds end preparations with shootout defeat against Palace in
Updated 10/08/2025 at 20:54 GMT+1
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Liverpool wrapped up their pre-season fixtures with back-to-back wins in a double-header against Athletic Club of Spain. Five new signings made their Anfield debuts as Cody Gakpo scored twice in a 3-2 win for what looked like Arne Slot's first-choice side. The Reds then fell to defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield, losing 3-2 on penalties after an entertaining 2-2 draw.
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Premier League champions Liverpool have a huge campaign ahead as they look to defend their crown in Arne Slot’s second season in charge.
The Reds stormed to first place last term, ending four seasons of Manchester City hegemony at the top of the table.
However, the club has had to endure a heartbreaking summer, with fan favourite Diogo Jota passing away at the start of July following a car crash.
The club paid an emotional tribute to the Portuguese forward and his brother Andre Silva in their first pre-season fixture against Preston North End, and they were honoured again at the first game of the season at Anfield, a double-header with Athletic Club.
Slot's side beat Preston 3-1 on an emotional day at Deepdale thanks to goals from Conor Bradley, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.
The defending Premier League champions followed that up with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Stoke.
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Van Dijk lifts Premier League trophy as Liverpool are crowned champions at thronging Anfield
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Nunez produced a rapid hat-trick during the win, with Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa also adding their names to the scoresheet.
The Reds then embarked on a pre-season tour of Asia, and were beaten 4-2 by AC Milan in Hong Kong.
Club record signing Florian Wirtz was given his first start, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Gakpo on target for Slot's side.
Against Yokohama FC in Japan, Hugo Ekitike had a frustrating debut and was hooked at half-time during the friendly, which Liverpool won 3-1.
The Frenchman was on the team sheet for the first time since his £79 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt, but delivered a quiet 45-minute showing.
There were some nice touches with Mo Salah early in the fixture, but he spent most of his debut in the centre attempting to keep the Yokohama centre-backs busy, before eventually being substituted for the striker he is meant to replace, Darwin Nunez - who departed late in the summer to join Al Hilal.
There was a major spotlight as not only Wirtz scored, but 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha delivered a stunning solo goal that may just see him sneak into Slot's first team plans this season.
Ngumoha then impressed again in the first of two games against Athletic at Anfield as pre-season preparations wrapped up, the youngster scoring in a 4-1 win where Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott and Ben Doak also found the target.
The second game proved the truer test as Slot fielded a strong side featuring five of his new signings, but it was familiar faces who sealed the 3-2 victory as Cody Gakpo struck twice following Mohamed Salah's opener.
The Reds also took on Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield on August 10.
New signings Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong got on the scoresheet during a thrilling 2-2 draw, but The Reds missed out on the trophy after losing the subsequent shoot-out 3-2.
Liverpool now have a busy few days ahead as they prepare for their first Premier League fixture of the 2025/2026 season against Bournemouth on August 15.
Liverpool’s pre-season fixtures
| Match | Date and time |
| Liverpool vs Preston North End (3-1) | Sunday, July 13, 15:00 UK time, Deepdale |
| Liverpool vs Stoke City (5-0) | Sunday, July 20, 12:00 UK time, AXA Training Centre |
| Liverpool vs AC Milan (2-4) | Saturday, July 26, 12:30 UK time, Hong Kong |
| Liverpool vs Yokohama FM (3-1) | Wednesday, July 30, 11:30 UK time, Yokohama |
| Liverpool vs Athletic Club (4-1 and 3-2) | Monday, August 4, 17:00 and 20:00 UK time, Anfield |
| Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (2-2 - Lost 3-2 on penalties) | Sunday, August 10, 15:00 UK time, Wembley |
Liverpool’s pre-season squad
Liverpool named a 29-player squad for their pre-season tour of Asia.
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi, Freddie Woodman, Kornel Misciur.
Defenders: Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley.
Midfielders: Florian Wirtz, Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, Tyler Morton, Trey Nyoni, Luca Stephenson.
Forwards: Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike, Harvey Elliott, Rio Ngumoha, Ben Doak.
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What has the manager said?
Arne Slot has kept his cards close to his chest ahead of the start of the new season.
However, he showed his leadership qualities in the face of tragedy, paying several moving tributes to Jota following his passing.
He believes that the 28-year-old spent the last month of his life showing what a champion he is.
"I think what I take comfort in [is that] in the last month of his life he was a champion in everything," he told Liverpool’s website.
"A champion for his family, which is the main and most important thing, because he got married.
"A champion for his country because he won the Nations League, [with] a country that he cared about so much, because he also wore the flag when we had celebrations.
"And of course, a champion for us by winning the Premier League."
Slot was also quizzed about his options at centre-back after the defeat to Milan, in light of the club selling Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen.
"I don't think we have a concern at centre-back. Ryan showed he can play that position - he did it well, although we favour him as a number six.
"Wataru Endo can play there. So we have enough options but it is true that Jarell Quansah left and we haven't replaced him yet."
What have the players said?
Liverpool may have had a busy summer transfer window, but Scottish defender Andy Robertson believes an experienced core of club legends can help their new signings integrate quickly during pre-season.
Robertson is now one of the elder statesmen at Anfield after eight seasons and two Premier League titles with the club.
Liverpool’s summer business may not even be over yet, with reports linking them with a move for Newcastle’s Swedish sensation Alexander Isak.
He believes Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah have emphasised how important squad cohesion will be to their hopes of defending their crown.
"When you look at the four older players or the leaders, with me, Ali [Alisson Becker], Virg [Virgil van Dijk] and Mo [Salah] then we take that upon ourselves to try to let them settle in as easy as possible, try to integrate them into the squad as quickly as possible," he said.
"You know how important that is, especially when they’re coming from different countries, different cultures and things like that. It’s just about trying to get them up to speed as quickly as possible."
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Watch 'sensation' Wirtz dance through defence to score sumptuous solo goal
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Speaking after the Milan match, Van Dijk highlighted the importance of helping the new faces settle into the squad.
He told reporters: "Well, I take a lot of energy in that. It’s obviously very important for any new faces that come into a club like Liverpool to feel welcome, to feel at ease to show their quality immediately.
"Obviously I joined the club and we had a fantastic environment already so I could immediately show what I was capable of and I think that’s what everyone wants.
"In terms of what I have been seeing so far, it has been great. There’s obviously a little time of adaptation and that’s absolutely normal but you could see today as well, all of them showed their quality today and I think there is much more to come as well."
New signings watch
The Reds have been very active in the summer transfer window so far.
They have signed exciting attacking talent such as German prodigy Wirtz and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Ekitike.
The club also replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold with Jeremie Frimpong and also added depth at left-back in the form of Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.
Giorgi Mamardashvili agreed to move to the club last summer and has now linked up with the squad.
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They also added Puskas AFC’s Armin Pecsi and Preston’s Freddie Woodman to their goalkeeping ranks.
Their two new full-backs, Frimpong and Kerkez, featured against Preston and Stoke, as did Mamardashvili.
Wirtz made his first appearance for the club in the 5-0 triumph against The Potters.
Woodman started the second half against his former club, while Pecsi made a brief cameo against Stoke.
All five of the major new signings then started together in the 3-2 win over Athletic Club as they got their first taste of the Anfield atmosphere.
Frimpong, Kerkez, Wirtz and Ekitike all started the FA Community Shield defeat against Crystal Palace.
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