If there is one thing more foolish than reading too much into friendlies, it is reading too much into friendlies behind closed doors, when half the first team squad is still missing. Inevitably, there is a focus on the first match of the Arne Slot era, but the rest of the pre-season schedule will probably be more informative.

Liverpool began life under Slot with a 1-0 defeat to Preston North End. There were a number of experienced players in action, including Mohamed Salah, Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai, but none lasted longer than 45 minutes.

Ultimately, it was Robbie Brady who stole the show. Surprisingly, he was only 32, but he was a regular in the Premier League with Hull a decade ago, playing alongside Andy Robertson — and he beat Vitezslav Jaros with an inspired effort, tempting him from distance.

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Robertson was among those who did not feature despite returning to training after being eliminated in the group stages of Euro 2024. He is expected to feature in the next friendly against Liverpool, but a number of others with international commitments will have to wait longer.

A number of Liverpool players reached the international finals this summer. Many will argue that Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez should have been used more often for England, but they will be given a full chance despite their bit-part roles, meaning they will miss the US tour.

At the Copa America, Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister faced each other in the final, with Darwin Nunez also advancing to the latter stages. It is difficult for Slot, who is trying to impress the squad with his new ideas while missing a number of key players.

These problems will undoubtedly spill over to America, where the Reds will arrive shortly. But in front of an audience, and with the available players having had a little more time to absorb Slot’s ideas, these games can be viewed with a more analytical eye.

First up is the match against Real Betis, which will take place on July 27 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh and kicks off at 19:30 local time (00:30 UK time).

Liverpool will also face Manchester United and Arsenal in the US before returning to England, where Slot will play his first match at Anfield against Sevilla on August 11. The Premier League season begins just under a week later against Ipswich Town.

Liverpool.com says: Each passing match takes on a little more meaning as Liverpool fans look for clues about Slot’s style and how the players adapt to it. But even if the Reds were getting hammered in every friendly, there would be no real reason to panic.

How many times have we been given false hopes by the preparation, or worried unnecessarily? I remember thinking that Iago Aspas would give Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge a run for their money!

Still, it’s the most exciting pre-season in a while, given that it’s under a new manager, and we’ll certainly be watching the US friendlies with interest, starting with the Real Betis clash.