Celtic vs Liverpool

Liverpool hope to wrap up a perfect preseason with a victory over Celtic. The match marks the final friendly before the Reds turn their attention to the new Premier League campaign, where they will look to improve on last season's seventh-place finish.

Although Liverpool is still a couple steps behind the top clubs on paper, the building blocks for future success are being put in place. Players like Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Sebastian Coates give supporters a reason to get excited.

As for Celtic, they have already begun competitive action. The Bhoys won their Scottish Premier League opener over Ross County and have also advanced to the playoff round of Champions League qualifying. They should pose a good test for Liverpool.

Let's examine the key information for the match, followed by a preview and a prediction of whether or not the Reds will pick up another preseason win.

The future of Luis Suarez remains the main talking point surrounding Liverpool. Even though the club has remained firm in their stance that the striker is not for sale, Suarez is desperate to secure an exit with Arsenal still interested.

Despite the hoopla, the Reds' chances of securing a bounce-back season would decrease significantly without Suarez leading the attack. While Liverpool do have some depth up front in Iago Aspas, Fabio Borini and Sturridge, none of those players are on Suarez's level. At least not yet.

The squad deserves a lot of credit for not becoming distracted by the Suarez situation and having a strong preseason. Having a reliable veteran leader like Steven Gerrard certainly helps make sure the squad remains focused on the task at hand.

Which is now finishing the preseason on a high note. Beating Celtic, a side that reached the knockout stage of the Champions League last season, would be a step in the right direction. It's the toughest test of the exhibition schedule.

Brendan Rodgers should try to get most of his starters some extended playing time. As the last tune-up match, it's important to get players on the same page before the results start to matter. This match is a perfect chance to do that.

Normally, a friendly after the campaign already started would be an opportunity for a club to get some reserves heavily involved. But that might not be the route Neil Lennon decides to go with a week until the Bhoys' next match.

Celtic is coming off a lackluster showing against Elfsborg. They were able to escape with a draw to advance in Champions League qualifying, but improvement is necessary before the playoff round. So they should take a matchup with Liverpool pretty seriously.

The biggest key is taking more control of matches in the midfield. It's a task that starts with Kris Commons and Scott Brown gaining and holding possession. When they are able to do that, Celtic is far more effective.

Even if the starters only play a half, a strong performance against Liverpool would go a long way in getting them back on track. That's what Celtic needs after just finding a way to survive against Elfsborg.

All told, the Reds should be able to pick up another victory unless Celtic decide to play their starters for the duration, which would make for a closer result.