Liverpool began their pre-season schedule on Sunday with a comfortable 3-1 win over Preston North End.

On a day where the Reds honoured late teammate Diogo Jota, the football very much took a back seat at Deepdale.

Nevertheless, Liverpool put in a good performance while missing a number of important players.

After such a difficult and unprecedented start to their summer preparations, the Liverpool squad and coaching staff acquitted themselves brilliantly.

Liverpool pay emotional tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva ahead of pre-season friendly against Preston after their player's tragic death aged 28	Liverpool reveal planned tributes to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva in pre-season friendly versus Preston - as Reds prepare to return to the pitch one week on from their player's tragic death	Why Liverpool can't wear Adidas kits for first pre-season friendly against Preston

While Jota will never, ever be forgotten at Anfield and around the whole of the footballing world, the Reds will now move forward with the rest of their summer fixture list.

But after the football returned in emotional circumstances on Sunday, Liverpool fans will have to wait a little while to see their team again.

Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

In years gone by, Liverpool have contended with packed pre-season schedules as coaches try and shake players from their summer indulgences.

However, things have changed in recent times.

Players are now so fit, so professional, that they barely miss a beat during the break.

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As a result, pre-season fixtures tend to be more sparse.

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It is also a fair way for anyone wanting to attend the game to travel, as Liverpool will next play in Hong Kong on Saturday July 26th.

Italian giants AC Milan are the opponents, in what is likely to be a tougher test than Sunday’s encounter.

One of the biggest talking points of Sunday’s match was that Florian Wirtz did not play against Preston.

Wirtz had been expected to make his Liverpool debut at Deepdale, but sat out along with Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz.

There does not appear to be injury concerns over any of the players, but they were reportedly deemed not yet ready to play and undertook individual training sessions on the day instead.

Given the length of time before the Milan game, it is likely that the six players will be back to feature in Hong Kong.

In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether cameras will once again be permitted to film at the Liverpool training ground.