Who has impressed in Liverpool’s preseason report? What do we now know about Arne Slot’s defense of the Premier League title?

On Sunday afternoon, Arne Slot’s Liverpool defeated Preston North End 3-1 at Deepdale in their first preseason match. Although the outcome was less significant than the opportunity to honor Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, the match gave supporters a first look at the Reds’ new look.

With full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez playing 45 minutes apiece and Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman splitting the 90 between the sticks, four summer additions made their debuts against the Lilywhites.

Rio Ngumoha, 16, started on the left flank going forward, and other young players Trey Nyoni, Ben Doak, and Lewis Koumas had the opportunity to impress the manager, who hasn’t decided on his team for the 2025–26 campaign yet.

Furthermore, several senior players who have been connected to departures from the team made appearances over the weekend, including Federico Chiesa, a versatile attacker, and Darwin Nunez, a striker.

Ngumoha the exciting prospect

Ngumoha, a teenager, was the most dangerous offensive threat among a group of seasoned pros. The Preston defense was constantly plagued by his direct dribbles from the left wing.

One of the young player’s drives forward gave the Reds their first goal, as he carried the ball past several defenders to start the move that saw Conor Bradley slot home from close range.

The 16-year-old arrived from Chelsea last season with a reputation as one of the most promising English players and based on his performance at Deepdale and the few first-team minutes he received in 2024–25, it appears that this assessment is accurate.

Given the rumored interest in Luis Diaz, the Merseysiders are reportedly looking for a young forward. However, rather than spending a lot of money, Slot might allow Ngumoha to play as a backup this season.

Trey Nyoni, a midfielder, is another academy star who has been in the news. His poise and judgment in the middle of the park seem to be far above average for a player of his age.

Nunez is expected to leave Anfield this summer after struggling to establish himself as a consistent starter during his three years there. The striker has reportedly drawn interest from teams like Napoli, Atletico Madrid, and Al-Hilal.

The Uruguayan only made eight league appearances the previous season, and it was rumored that he would not be allowed to make any more because of a purported clause that would require Liverpool to give Benfica more add-ons if he turned 60.

Despite registering 31 goal contributions in 2023–24 and maintaining the second-best per 90 stats of the team’s forwards each season, the Reds’ number nine has not been consistent in front of goal and is regarded as  a poor fit for Slot’s style.

However, considering that he is now Liverpool’s only specialized center-forward, some have called for a rethink because he had the foresight to round the goalkeeper and score on Sunday, as well as to cleverly feint by letting the ball roll through his legs for Cody Gakpo’s late goal.

But given Nunez’s high asking price, Liverpool is probably going to let go of their number nine instead of signing a new player, with Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak being mentioned.

Similarly, Chiesa’s dribbling was essential in ending the draw. Despite his occasional displays of skill, he is anticipated to return to Serie A given that he only made one appearance in the top division.

Although Liverpool’s new full-back combination of Kerkez and Frimpong stood out, all four of the new signings who were featured had impressive debuts in the iconic red shirt.

The former Bournemouth left-back made an impression with his unrelenting style of play, frequently overlapping Cody Gakpo to give the team an attacking outlet that brought back memories of Andrew Robertson’s early years there.

When Kerkez tried to tackle a player with his head when the ball was at the feet of a Preston defender, taking a hit in the process, he further won over supporters by demonstrating his willingness to sacrifice everything for the team, even in a friendly.

Concerns regarding Frimpong’s ability to defend for the time being were allayed by his positioning and recovery runs on Sunday, even though his speed and offensive output were already well-known in the football community.

Despite making a few saves when Canadian striker Daniel Jebbison broke through the lines, Mamardashvili and Woodman both had a comparatively uneventful afternoon in goal.

Reds supporters are still awaiting the debut of league and club record signing Florian Wirtz, and his combination with Mohamed Salah and possibly another new forward could be enticing.

The champions have a very strong team that managed to coast through the last few weeks of the season and still win the championship, but the Reds have a lot of holes in their lineup after Jarell Quansah left and Nunez and Diaz are expected to leave.

Slot’s team has been linked to a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi in order to bolster their backline, but it’s unclear if he will be available for a low-cost deal given that the FA Cup winners are reportedly demanding £50 million even though the center-back only has one year left on his contract.

Up top, Isak of Newcastle is reportedly the top target for Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards. However, the Swedish striker would demand yet another Premier League record fee, and the Merseysiders would have to raise money through player sales in order to complete the deal.

Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt is the other name that is frequently mentioned, and several elite clubs are interested in him despite concerns about his future following a shocking xG underperformance in the 2024–25 Bundesliga.

Liverpool would undoubtedly be the favorites to win the championship again if they are able to complete their amazing summer transfer business by adding a star center-forward to their center-back lineup.