Jordon Ibe inspires Liverpool comeback at Preston

Jordon Ibe showed glimpses of a very exciting future by setting up two second-half goals as Liverpool came back from a goal behind to beat Preston 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.

Preston North End 1-2 Liverpool
Saturday, 19th July 2014
Pre-season Friendly
Deepdale

Josh Brownhill had given the League One side a deserved lead at the end of the first-half, but Ibe’s runs from midfield helped Suso and find a delectable equaliser from the edge of the area, before Kristoffer Peterson’s deflected goal turned out to be the winner.

• Videos: Watch Suso’s equaliser for Liverpool here, and Peterson’s winner here.

At a damp Deepdale, Brendan Rodgers gave debuts to new signings Rickie Lambert and Emre Can. Lambert wore the No. 9 shirt, and will do for the Reds next season following Iago Aspas’ departure to Sevilla this week.

Fabio Borini played what could be his last match for the Reds, with a £14 million move to Sunderland expected to be finalised in the next few days.

Lambert looked lively throughout and Can gave a decent performance until he was withdrawn as a precaution after 20 minutes, but it was Ibe and Suso that caught the eye.

Ibe’s runs at speed through the midfield carved out both of Liverpool’s goals, whilst Suso showed why there’s so much hope for him at Anfield, finishing his goal immaculately.

Liverpool: B Jones, Kelly (Robinson 45, Enrique), Flanagan (Stewart 60), Skrtel (Coates), Wisdom (L Jones), Lucas (Rossiter), Allen (Coady), Can (Ibe 20), Coutinho (Adorjan, Phillips), Lambert (Peterson), Borini (Suso 45).

Rodgers now takes his side, complete with returning World Cup stars and Serbian Lazar Markovic, to the USA for five games, the first being against Roma at Boston’s Fenway Park on Wednesday, 23rd July 2014.

• 23 July – AS Roma (Fenway Park, Boston) – 5pm CST
• 27 July – Olympiacos (Soldier Field, Chicago)– 5pm CST
• 30 July – Manchester City (Yankee Stadium, New York) – 7pm EST
• 2 August – AC Milan (Charlotte, North Carolina) – 6:30pm EST

What positives did you take from Liverpool’s performance at Preston? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join in the post-match discussion in our Liverpool FC Forums.