For seven minutes after the final whistle, Liverpool players and staff stood in front of their supporters at Preston as they chanted Diogo Jota’s name.
Sunday’s pre-season friendly at Deepdale was originally envisaged as a day to kick-start preparations for Liverpool’s Premier League title defence, but it played out as a memorial service for Jota and his brother Andre Silva, 10 days after they died in a car accident in Spain.
The Reds professionally navigated their opening pre-season friendly, seeing off Preston to win 3-1 and begin their summer preparations on a positive note.
Conor Bradley opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, pouncing on a loose touch by Dominik Szoboszlai, who got on the end of Federico Chiesa’s low cross.
Darwin Nunez doubled the Premier League champions’ lead on the other side of half-time, and paid a touching tribute to the late Jota with his celebration.
After finding the back of the net in the 53rd minute, the Uruguay international wheeled off to the corner flag, sat down, and pretended to play on a video game remote – his old team-mate’s signature move.
Liverpool took care of business to beat Preston North End 3-1 in their first pre-season friendly
Darwin Nunez dedicated his celebration to the late Diogo Jota after putting the Reds 2-0 up
Arne Slot’s side suit up for their next pre-season friendly on July 26 when they face AC Milan
Nunez also performed the shark gesture Jota gave when he scored against Everton at Goodison Park this year.
Arne Slot’s men failed to keep a clean sheet against their Championship opponents, conceding in the 83rd minute when Preston defender Liam Lindsay rifled a header in from a corner.
Slot made wholesale changes in the second half, as expected in these fixtures, with a number of academy prospects getting a runout.
And it was one of the Reds’ youth graduates who played a part in their third goal, with Ben Doak teeing up Cody Gakpo, who scored to put any chance of a shock comeback out of reach.
The Reds suit up for their next pre-season friendly on July 26 when they face AC Milan in Hong Kong.
