This season for Rovers it's a pre-season opener like no other as Premiership side Liverpool travel to Prenton Park for the first friendly game of the season for both sides in what is sure to have already been a huge financial boost to Tranmere ahead of the 2008/09 season.

Usually on this day, the Rovers fans and players are gearing up for a short trip down the road to Kirklands to face non-league Cammell Laird but this year, thanks to a bad piece of organising down at the Deva Stadium in Chester, Liverpool are the ones making the short trip to play a friendly.

Originally scheduled to face Chester at the Deva Stadium, Cheshire Police stepped in to stop the game from going ahead due to a clash with a two-day race meeting at Chester on Friday and Saturday.

Benitez's Side will be Undoubted Favourites at Prenton Park

Chester's loss is Tranmere's gain though as a sell out crowd of around 15,000 is expected at Prenton Park to see Rovers take on Rafa Benitez's side before they fly out to Switzerland for a pre-season training camp the following day.

Rumours from the Liverpool side of things suggests that Benitez is keen to take a look at players who weren't involved in the European Championships over the summer and these are believed to possibly include Steven Gerrard, Lucas and Andrei Vorinin.

At the start of the week, Rovers fans would have been wondering just who was going to play against Liverpool but this week has seen Ronnie Moore add three further signings in the shape of Edrissa Sonko, Bas Savage and George O'Callaghan to bolster the squad ahead of the game.

Whatever the result - and most Rovers fans are expecting a Reds win - thanks should go to Liverpool for staging the game and Rovers fans should look on the game as a testing early run out but more importantly a huge financial boost for the Club.

This game is sold out but for those who have access to Setanta Sports on TV, the game will be shown on the channel as part of their pre-season package.

If you're going to the game, enjoy the day and maybe Rovers can produce a surprise or two in the game - let's hope so!

Match Referee:

Mike Dean (Wirral)

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