Liverpool launched the Andoni Iraola era with a 4-2 victory against Sunderland in Nashville, featuring goals from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, and Lewis Koumas. The positive result was marred early on when captain and center-back Joe Gomez suffered an injury just eight minutes into the match.
Iraola expressed frustration regarding the loss of Gomez, especially with the team already lacking defensive depth. With Virgil van Dijk absent following his World Cup participation, teenagers Mor Talla N’diaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe managed the backline for much of the game. Meanwhile, new signing Jeremy Jacquet was held out as a precaution, and Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined while recovering from an ACL injury.
On the attacking front, Szoboszlai made an immediate impact upon entering the pitch, netting a powerful strike from distance. Young prospect Kieran Morrison also impressed, scoring the opening goal following a setup by Harvey Elliott. Late strikes from Chiesa and Koumas secured the win, with 16-year-old debutant Josh Abe also showing promise during his time on the field.
Despite the win, Iraola noted that his squad still requires significant defensive improvements after conceding two goals to Sunderland. The team will now shift focus to Chicago, where Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Ryan Gravenberch are set to join training before the next friendly against Wrexham in New York.
