Liverpool's new forward Iago Aspas
marked his debut with a goal but he will have to score plenty more if
Reds fans are to celebrate a new hero to replace wantaway striker Luis
Suarez.
The Spaniard, signed from Celta Vigo for £7.7million, curled home his
side's final effort as they eased their way back into action to
comfortably win the specially-commissioned Shankly Shield, in honour of
Reds' iconic manager and former Lilywhites player Bill Shankly at
Deepdale.
In reality the game had already been settled with goals from Philippe Coutinho, Jordon Ibe and Raheem Sterling in little more than a gentle run-out, - even if temperatures on the pitch touched 30 degrees.
It provided no proper gauge for an assessment on the work manager
Brendan Rodgers has done over the summer or his four new signings, who
all featured.
Aside from one first-half save from Scott Laird's shot, goalkeeper
Simon Mignolet had nothing to do, while centre-back Kolo Toure may have
had a more testing afternoon had new Preston signing Kevin Davies been
ready to play.
Rodgers' two Spanish imports, Aspas
and Luis Alberto, played the second half with Aspas' 20-yard left-foot
curler for Liverpool's fourth in the 75th minute the highlight.
The elephant in the room - and not on the pitch - was Suarez, the
Uruguay international currently on extended leave because of
Confederations Cup duty who seemingly wants out of Anfield.
Rodgers did not speak to the media after the match, wanting to avoid
an inquisition over the 26-year-old for whom the club have already
turned down a £30million bid from Arsenal.
Fellow forward Daniel Sturridge was absent, still making his way back
from an ankle injury, and while captain Steven Gerrard was fit after
missing the last two matches of the season to have a shoulder operation,
he watched from the sidelines.
Who will provide the goals without that trio remains to be seen, with
Rodgers still looking to add attacking options after missing out on
Shakhtar Donetsk's Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Aspas showed he has the potential to contribute but while forward
Fabio Borini, who missed plenty of last season with injuries, was a
willing runner he spurned his one chance with only goalkeeper Declan
Rudd to beat.
Coutinho, inventive in the opening 45 minutes, won and converted a spot-kick after a 13th-minute foul by John Welsh.
Ibe, 17, cut in from the left to drill a low right-foot shot just
inside the post, Sterling raced on to Aspas' pass to round replacement
goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann before the new Spanish signing wrapped
things up.
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