13-07-2025, 19:15
Preston North End and Liverpool commemorated the lives of Diogo Jota and André Silva as they met at Deepdale for a pre-season friendly.
In the first match since the tragic passing of the brothers, Arne Slot’s side came out 3-1 winners thanks to goals from Conor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, while Liam Lindsay was on the scoresheet for the Lilywhites with a powerful header.
There were moving scenes ahead of kick-off as Claudia Rose Maguire performed incredible renditions of Can’t Help Falling In Love and You’ll Never Walk Alone, while captain Ben Whiteman walked over to the Bill Shankly Kop to place a wreath in front of the Liverpool fans. Everyone inside the stadium then impeccably observed a minute’s silence in memory of Diogo and André.
It was a day where football felt secondary to the occasion, but eight minutes in new man Thierry Small was exciting the home fans by showing great trickery and crossing deep towards Milutin Osmajić and forcing a Liverpool man to deal with the danger.
After Lewis Gibson soon whistled an effort wide from distance, Ali McCann came up with a great block at the other end to deny the lively Rio Ngumoha who had cut inside to shoot.
It looked for anything like Federico Chiesa was going to put the Reds in front in the 20th minute, but Gibson made up ground on the striker and hooked his leg around to make a brilliant last-ditch challenge.
Chiesa was heavily involved in the opening goal in the 33rd minute as his cutback was touched on by Dominik Szoboszlai and Bradley made the most of the situation, finding the far corner.
PNE responded well and ended the half really strongly, with Milutin Osmajić cushioning an effort just off target before Andrew Hughes nodded over the bar in the final minute of the opening 45.
Daniel Jebbison came on at the break for his first appearance for club while Liverpool made wholesale changes. One of those introduced, Darwin Núñez capitalised on a backpass from Jordan Storey eight minutes into the second half and rounded Daniel Iversen to double the Reds’ advantage.
Osmajić did brilliantly in the 56th minute to cleverly spin past Andy Robertson and sprint towards goal, although his effort was sliced wide.
Paul Heckingbottom began to ring the changes himself, offering opportunities to a number of youngsters to test themselves against England’s best.
North End were giving a good account of themselves and Jebbison so nearly marked his introduction with a stunning solo effort, only for former PNE goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to deflect his effort onto the top of the crossbar.
He was beaten, though, in the 83rd minute when Jeppe Okkels’ corner from the right was met by a thumping Lindsay header which flew into the top corner.
Kaedyn Kamara came close to drawing level shortly after with a header of his own, but Gakpo’s finish from inside the 18-yard box in the 88th minute meant the visitors left with a 3-1 win.
PNE line-up: Cornell; Storey (Lindsay, 60), Gibson (Offiah, 60), Hughes (Pasiek, 70); Valentin (Tarry, 70), Thórdarson (Kamara, 70), Whiteman (Carroll, 70), McCann (Mawene, 70), Small (Okkels, 70); Osmajić (Felipe, 70), Keane (Jebbison, 45).
Attendance: 21,289 (5,797 Liverpool fans).
In the first match since the tragic passing of the brothers, Arne Slot’s side came out 3-1 winners thanks to goals from Conor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, while Liam Lindsay was on the scoresheet for the Lilywhites with a powerful header.
There were moving scenes ahead of kick-off as Claudia Rose Maguire performed incredible renditions of Can’t Help Falling In Love and You’ll Never Walk Alone, while captain Ben Whiteman walked over to the Bill Shankly Kop to place a wreath in front of the Liverpool fans. Everyone inside the stadium then impeccably observed a minute’s silence in memory of Diogo and André.
It was a day where football felt secondary to the occasion, but eight minutes in new man Thierry Small was exciting the home fans by showing great trickery and crossing deep towards Milutin Osmajić and forcing a Liverpool man to deal with the danger.
After Lewis Gibson soon whistled an effort wide from distance, Ali McCann came up with a great block at the other end to deny the lively Rio Ngumoha who had cut inside to shoot.
It looked for anything like Federico Chiesa was going to put the Reds in front in the 20th minute, but Gibson made up ground on the striker and hooked his leg around to make a brilliant last-ditch challenge.
Chiesa was heavily involved in the opening goal in the 33rd minute as his cutback was touched on by Dominik Szoboszlai and Bradley made the most of the situation, finding the far corner.
PNE responded well and ended the half really strongly, with Milutin Osmajić cushioning an effort just off target before Andrew Hughes nodded over the bar in the final minute of the opening 45.
Daniel Jebbison came on at the break for his first appearance for club while Liverpool made wholesale changes. One of those introduced, Darwin Núñez capitalised on a backpass from Jordan Storey eight minutes into the second half and rounded Daniel Iversen to double the Reds’ advantage.
Osmajić did brilliantly in the 56th minute to cleverly spin past Andy Robertson and sprint towards goal, although his effort was sliced wide.
Paul Heckingbottom began to ring the changes himself, offering opportunities to a number of youngsters to test themselves against England’s best.
North End were giving a good account of themselves and Jebbison so nearly marked his introduction with a stunning solo effort, only for former PNE goalkeeper Freddie Woodman to deflect his effort onto the top of the crossbar.
He was beaten, though, in the 83rd minute when Jeppe Okkels’ corner from the right was met by a thumping Lindsay header which flew into the top corner.
Kaedyn Kamara came close to drawing level shortly after with a header of his own, but Gakpo’s finish from inside the 18-yard box in the 88th minute meant the visitors left with a 3-1 win.
PNE line-up: Cornell; Storey (Lindsay, 60), Gibson (Offiah, 60), Hughes (Pasiek, 70); Valentin (Tarry, 70), Thórdarson (Kamara, 70), Whiteman (Carroll, 70), McCann (Mawene, 70), Small (Okkels, 70); Osmajić (Felipe, 70), Keane (Jebbison, 45).
Attendance: 21,289 (5,797 Liverpool fans).
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