Video: Watch Coutinho, Ibe, Sterling & new boy Aspas sink Preston

July 13, 2013
This Is Anfield

Preston 0-4 Liverpool

Saturday, 13th July 2013
Deepdale; Attendance: 21,190
Pre-Season Friendly (The Shankly Shield)

Coutinho and Borini celebrate the opener

Liverpool Line-up and subs

First half:

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First half substitutions: None.

Second half:

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Second half substitutions: Ward on for Mignolet 77mins, Kelly on for Robinson 81mins.

Match Summary

Liverpool ran out comprehensive 4-0 winners in their opening pre-season friendly of the summer in scorching temperatures at Preston’s Deepdale stadium.

Brendan Rodgers started with new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and new defender Kolo Toure in his defence. Jay Spearing, thought to be on the verge of a move to Blackburn Rovers, was also given a starting place.

Philippe Coutinho found himself breaking into the Preston box only to be brought down by former Reds midfielder John Welsh. Coutinho very cooly and calmly put away the penalty for Liverpool’s lead on 14 minutes.

17-year-old Jordan Ibe scored a good goal to make it 2-0 to the Reds shortly before half time. In a very John Barnes-esque strike, he shot low from the egde of the area, flying in the bottom left hand corner.

During that first half, despite not having a lot to do, Toure and Daniel Agger made a solid defensive partnership.

A mass of subsititons at half time saw Mignolet keep his place in Liverpool’s goal, whilst the ten outfield players changed.

Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas were brought on to make their first appearances in a Red shirt.

Aspas was on hand to provide a perfect through-ball which put Raheeem Sterling clean through on goal on 64 minutes. The young winger took the ball wide of the Preston keeper and slotted home for Liverpool’s third.

Then the new signing from Celta Vigo turned goalscorer to fly in a left foot shot from the edge of the area on 76 minutes for a great first goal on his first appearance for the club.

Late on, defender Martin Kelly was given a run-out, his first action since rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament last September.

Four different goalscorers and a confident performance from Brendan Rodgers’ side gets Liverpool’s pre-season campaign off to a good start. The Reds also take home the commemorative ‘Shankly Shield’ which celebrates 100 years since the great man’s birth between two of clubs where he made his name as a player and manager at.

Liverpool now fly out for more pre-season friendlies against Indonesia, Melbourne Victory, Thailand, Olympiakos, Valerenga and Celtic, before they start the new Premier League season at home to Stoke City on August 17th.