5 Things Liverpool Fans Want to See in Friendly vs. Preston North End

Liverpool’s preseason preparations get under way in earnest on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Deepdale to take on Simon Grayson’s Preston North End, with the friendly set to tell the club’s supporters a lot about how the team is shaping up ahead of the new campaign.

Head coach Brendan Rodgers has already been active in the summer transfer window, despite it only being open for exactly a week now, with the Northern Irishman having already added four new faces to the Reds first-team squad in the form of Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Simon Mignolet and Kolo Toure.

However, how and where exactly these four signings will fit in at Anfield next season is just one of a number of questions that those travelling to Preston this weekend will hope to see answered.

And so we at Bleacher Report are here to give you a guide to the five things that supporters of the Merseysiders will most want to see from Liverpool in their opening preseason fixture of the summer.

Return of Captain Fantastic

Liverpool’s inspirational skipper had his season cut short in May when forced to undergo surgery on a persistent shoulder injury that had dogged him for much of the year.

At the time, it was far from certain that the midfielder would be able to return in time for preseason training, with Gerrard’s participation in the club’s opening Premier League fixtures of the new campaign therefore also in grave doubt.

However, the ever durable 33-year-old has made a faster-than-expected recovery; he was there at Melwood on Tuesday for the first day of preseason training and is now expected to lead the Reds out on Saturday at Deepdale.

And you can bet your bottom dollar that those fans making the trip to Preston will be more than happy to see Stevie G back in the red of Liverpool and driving his team forward from midfield ahead of the new campaign.

Simon Says ….

Having just splashed out £9 million on bringing one of the most highly rated young goalkeepers currently plying their trade in the top flight to Anfield this summer, Liverpool fans will be absolutely desperate to see the new man between the sticks in action come kickoff time at Preston this weekend.

And with current Reds No. 1 Jose Manuel Reina having been given extra holiday following his involvement with Spain in the recent FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, Mignolet should have this opening fixture of the summer all to himself to fully showcase his talents.

Just how much action the 25-year-old shot-stopper will face against League One opposition remains open to question, although Liverpool supporters will surely just be content to see the Belgium international in the flesh for the very first time.

The Central Issue

With veteran centre-back Jamie Carragher having finally decided to hang up his boots at the end of the last campaign, a spot at the heart of the Reds back four has now opened up, with two men vying to replace the former Liverpool vice-captain at Anfield next season as Daniel Agger’s new defensive partner.

Consequently, Saturday’s opening preseason fixture is sure to reveal plenty about Rodgers’ thinking going into the new campaign, with the Liverpool head coach having recently signed experienced central defender Toure from Manchester City on a free transfer.

But it is far from certain that the 32-year-old will be chosen to line up alongside Agger in defence for the Merseysiders next season, with the Ivory Coast international set to go head-to-head with Martin Skrtel this summer in what is sure to be a fiercely contested battle for the vacant role.

And Saturday afternoon will be the first round of this contest, with Liverpool fans surely eager with anticipation to see which of the duo emerges on top after round one.

A Striking Dilemma

With key front man Daniel Sturridge still currently recuperating from the ankle injury that he sustained playing for England in a friendly against Republic of Ireland at Wembley Stadium in May—therefore he's unlikely to take part in much, if any, of the club’s preseason programme—the spotlight will very much be on new forward Aspas.

The diminutive attacker’s versatility was one of the factors that first attracted Rodgers, with the 25-year-old capable of operating in a variety of different positions up front for the Reds in the new campaign and beyond.

However, Aspas should be handed the key central-striking role by his manager at Deepdale on Saturday in the absence of both Sturridge and Luis Suarez, who is not expected back for preseason until the club’s visit of Asia later in the month.

And as befits an attacker with a clear eye for goal and good experience of leading the line by himself, Liverpool fans will be more than a little intrigued to see how well Aspas fares if given such a hefty responsibility this weekend.

He’s from Barcelona

With doubts continuing to surround the Liverpool future of controversial attacker Suarez and the club having recently failed to land first-choice attacking target Henrikh "Heno" Mkhitaryan to replace the Uruguayan, there could now be a greater role in store at Anfield for their new signing from Barca, via Sevilla: Luis Alberto.

Rodgers is known to favour a 4-3-3 formation, which could leave a potential opening wide on the left of the attacking trio for the 20-year-old winger, who starred on loan for Barca B in that very same position in the previous campaign and supplied numerous goals for Gerard Deulofeu.

So Reds fans will be keen to judge how the highly rated Spain Under-21 international starlet goes when thrust immediately into a starting role by Rodgers, if only against League One opponents, that is.

However, for Alberto, this will be a great opportunity to lay down a significant marker ahead of the new campaign where he looks to really catch the eye at Deepdale.

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