“Things are not looking good but we just have to go with what we have” – This is according to Arne Slot as Liverpool are already dealing with early injury setbacks, with up to three key players confirmed to unavailable for their upcoming pre-season friendly against Preston and possibly the first few weeks of the season.

Liverpool’s pre-season campaign has suffered an early disruption, with three players likely to miss the friendly against Preston North End.

The upcoming clash at Deepdale holds emotional significance as it marks Liverpool’s first match since the heartbreaking loss of Diogo Jota. The club will pay tribute to the late forward before kick-off, retiring his No. 20 shirt in his memory.

New head coach Arne Slot officially began training sessions earlier this week, with preparations slightly delayed due to the recent tragedy. Although he has a large squad available for selection, at least three players are set to be sidelined for the first fixture.

Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton are both unlikely to feature. They recently joined the squad and Jota’s family for a memorial but, having been part of England’s victorious U21 European Championship squad, they are expected to be granted extended leave before rejoining the team later in pre-season.

Stefan Bajcetic is also unavailable after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury picked up at the end of last season. The Spanish midfielder, who made 33 appearances during a loan spell at Las Palmas, missed the final two games of the campaign. He recently underwent surgery performed by orthopedic specialist Dr. Lasse Lempainen. Though the exact timeline for his recovery is unclear, Bajcetic is unlikely to feature much during the summer schedule.

On a positive note, Ben Doak and James McConnell have recovered from their respective injuries and are expected to be in contention for the Preston match.

Fans may also get their first look at several new signings, including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Milos Kerkez, and young goalkeeper Armin Pecsi. All five are with the squad and could make their unofficial debuts in the coming days.

Between the posts, Mamardashvili is set to share duties with Alisson Becker, while Slot will use the friendly as an opportunity to test different formations and combinations ahead of the new season.

Off the pitch, Slot has also made a change to the coaching team, bringing in Giovanni van Bronckhorst as his assistant, replacing John Heitinga, who has returned to Ajax.

After facing Preston, Liverpool’s next game will be a pre-season fixture against AC Milan in two weeks. Other matches lined up include ties against Yokohama Marinos and Athletic Club before the Reds meet Crystal Palace in the Community Shield at Wembley.