Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has opened up after an emotional afternoon hosting Liverpool in their first pre-season friendly of the new campaign.
Premier League champions Liverpool returned to action for the first time since the heartbreaking passing of forward Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva. In the days leading up to the match there was uncertainty whether the fixture would go ahead due to the tragic circumstances. However, following discussions between both clubs throughout the week, it was decided the game would take place as planned. In an emotional pre-season friendly at Deepdale, Liverpool earned a 3-1 victory over Preston North End.
The match — played just 10 days after the devastating car crash in Spain that claimed the lives of the two brothers — was never just going to be about football. For Arne Slot’s squad and staff, it marked the beginning of a long and difficult healing process. For everyone inside the stadium, it was an afternoon filled with grief, reflection, and unity.
Before kick-off, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Diogo and André, but it was in the 20th minute, in honour of Jota’s shirt number, when the emotion truly spilled over. The travelling Liverpool fans, more than 6,000 strong and housed in the Bill Shankly Stand, broke into a heartfelt and increasingly powerful rendition of their number 20’s chant. Former Liverpool players Jason McAteer and Jay Spearing, sitting in the press box, joined in with the moving moment.
The tribute was also shared by home supporters, who stood and applauded alongside the away end. It was a gesture of pure respect and one that resonated far beyond Deepdale.
After Connor Bradley broke the deadlock on the 33rd minute, Liverpool went in 1-0 at the break before Arne Slot made wholesale changes for the second half, the most notable being the introduction of Darwin Núñez. While speculation continues to swirl around his future at Anfield, this match carried deeper meaning.
The 26-year-old Uruguayan, who was close to Jota and attended his ex-teammate’s funeral, made his mark by rounding the goalkeeper to double Liverpool’s lead. In a powerful tribute, he celebrated with the Portuguese forward’s iconic ‘FIFA’ celebration in front of the travelling Kop. Cody Gakpo sealed the win on 88th minute after Liam Lindsay got one back for the hosts.
Speaking after the match, Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom praised the decision to go ahead with the friendly and commended the spirit in which the game was played.
“The eyes of the football world were on us, and we wanted to represent ourselves, and the wider football world, in the correct way and pay our respects in the correct way. I hope that we were able to do that, and I hope that came across to everyone affected.”
Heckingbottom revealed that he personally thanked Arne Slot and hoped it marked a meaningful first step for Liverpool’s grieving players and staff.
“I’m proud of everyone, I thanked Arne for coming to the game. I hope that this has begun their healing process, if you like. I hope that they feel better for having that game and it’s a step closer to where they need to get themselves to, without a doubt.”
The 47 year-old reflected on the emotional impact the tragedy had beyond Merseyside, including within his own club.
“I’ll not forget the morning when we saw the news, the whole training ground stopped. We went out, got everyone together and just reminded them that people are always moaning, saying things aren’t right. But life puts things into perspective.”
He continued and went on to praise both sets of players for managing to deliver a competitive, respectful game under such emotionally heavy circumstances.
“It’s a game of football and listen, I’ll credit both sets of players and both sets of staff. It was a proper game when the whistle went, and you’ve got to do that, But we also didn’t want to risk injuries. We wanted to pay our respects in the right way. You’ve got to do it properly but it’s tough, yeah.
I can’t imagine how it is for the staff, players and families affected. I didn’t come out [after full-time] because I didn’t want to see that. But I’m pleased with how everyone represented us and the wider football world.”
While Liverpool’s goals will understandably take a backseat in the wider narrative, the team’s performance showed composure and professionalism in the most testing of environments. Prior to the match, head coach Slot spoke of how the club will continue to manage the grieving process carefully in the coming weeks. acknowledging that the pain of Jota and Silva’s loss will not simply vanish with time.
This fixture had been circled on calendars as the Reds’ first opportunity to celebrate their 20th league title. Instead it became something even more profound — a space for shared sorrow, remembrance, and unity.
And as the travelling Kop sang Jota’s name long after the final whistle, one thing became certain: his memory will forever be a part of Liverpool Football Club.
