SWINDON TOWN chairman Lee Power has done a great job in bringing four Premiership clubs to the County Ground in pre-season with Everton, Aston Villa and West Brom putting out first XI sides to entertain the paying customers.

That’s unlikely to be the case when Liverpool visit on Sunday (4pm kick-off).

Having just come back from a two-week tour of Bangkok, Brisbane, Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur, the Reds travel to play Helsinki on the night before the Swindon game.

And The Liverpool Echo began their daily coverage of the team on Tuesday with the following: “Ninety minutes in Helsinki. Two weeks at Melwood (Liverpool’s training ground). It does not sound a lot, but that is all the time Brendan Rodgers has remaining to assess his squad ahead of the new season.”

Swindon Town was apparently not on the Echo's radar.

For those tempted by the club website's offensive on tickets and hospitality packages it is as well to know that it will be a Liverpool XI rather the first team who will be turning up.

Perhaps we will see highly rated 18-year-old winger Ryan Kent who was rumoured to be joining fellow Reds Jordan Williams and Kevin Stewart at Swindon in season-long loans from Anfield.

Kent, who has been with Liverpool since the age of eight and has just signed a four-and-a-half year deal, would have been the biggest catch. Maybe we can make sure he misses the coach back north.

By general consensus the 4-1 scoreline to West Brom on Saturday flattered the visitors.

But in 270+ minutes of football against Premiership opposition we have scored just one goal – Yaser Kasim’s fine strike against West Brom. Nothing from our strikers.

Fans know Power and boss Cooper are working on a small budget in comparison to some other League one sides. All they ask is that we are competitive.

But the shortcomings of our limited strike force have been known for months – and yet where is the new blood?

Also, going into the first game against Bradford on Saturday week relying on the relatively untried Ty Belford in goal is obviously a gamble.

Wes Foderingham, who played for Rangers in their 6-2 Scottish Challenge Cup win over Hibs at the weekend, had not played a league game before joining us, I know, but he did have plenty of England youth experience.

Midfielder Fabian Robert, who has impressed in pre-season, is rumoured to be signing this week. Let’s hope there is some more last-minute business ahead of August 8.