Liverpool began their pre-season tour with a 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Nashville, marking the start of the Andoni Iraola era. Goals from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, and Lewis Koumas secured the win. However, the match was overshadowed by an early injury to defender Joe Gomez, which has highlighted existing concerns about the team’s defensive depth.
Iraola expressed disappointment regarding Gomez‘s injury, stating that it was the “worst news” from the match. Gomez was forced off the pitch after approximately eight minutes due to a muscle issue. His departure led to 18-year-old centre-backs Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye forming the central defensive partnership.
Defensive challenges and player returns
The injury to Gomez further strains Liverpool‘s defensive options. Ibrahima Konaté has departed for Real Madrid, and Giovanni Leoni is still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, with several months expected before he can rejoin first-team action. Another defender, Jérémy Jacquet, is being managed carefully due to a previous shoulder injury that kept him out for several months. Iraola indicated that Jacquet is expected to play in the final game of the US tour to gain minutes.
Liverpool was without several key players for the match against Sunderland, many of whom had participated in the World Cup. These players include Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Victor Muñoz. Additionally, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Ryan Gravenberch are set to join the tour in Chicago and begin training. Wataru Endo was also unavailable as he recovers from an ankle knock, while Hugo Ekitiké and Conor Bradley are long-term absentees with Achilles and ACL injuries, respectively.
Sunderland also had a significant number of players absent due to World Cup commitments, including Omar Alderete, Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey, and Thomas Meunier. Jocelin Ta Bi was unable to travel with the squad as his VISA application was rejected, preventing him from meeting USA entry criteria.
Match highlights and individual performances
The match saw Liverpool take an early lead through Kieran Morrison, who scored after an interchange involving James McConnell, Rio Ngumoha, and Harvey Elliott. Sunderland equalised with a long-range strike from Enzo Le Fée, who later scored a second goal after a sloppy giveaway by Jeremie Frimpong, allowing Timu Tutierov to score.
In the second half, Dominik Szoboszlai, who came on as a substitute, made a significant impact. He scored with a powerful long-range shot and later provided an assist for Koumas to seal the win. Federico Chiesa also found the net after receiving a pass from Calvin Ramsay. Milos Kerkez, another second-half substitute, provided energy and pace on the left flank.
Iraola noted that the team lacked some freshness and intensity in the match, attributing it to heavy training. He described the game as a “good starting point to improve things.” He also praised the efforts of players like Calum Scanlon, Kieran Morrison, and Koumas.
From Liverpool‘s perspective, Szoboszlai‘s performance reinforced his appeal as a player for the upcoming season. For Sunderland, Le Fée‘s strong showing, including his goal and role in set-pieces, suggests he could be an important asset. Defenders Dan Ballard and Nordi Mukiele also performed well in their first-half appearances.
In another pre-season friendly, Hull City secured a 3-0 victory over Konyaspor. New signings Jack Butland and Oscar Zambrano featured for Hull. The goals came from Enis Destan and Abu Kamara, with an own goal contributing to the scoreline. Nathan Tinsdale provided two assists, including one for Destan‘s header. Oli McBurnie, a promotion hero, also made an appearance in the second half.
Hull City‘s first goal was set up by Nathan Tinsdale, who delivered a cross for Enis Destan. The second goal resulted from a cross by Ryan Giles, which was touched on by Tinsdale and then deflected into the net by the goalkeeper. Hull‘s third goal was scored by Abu Kamara, assisted by Tinsdale, with Kamara converting from close range.
The Liverpool squad is set to continue its US tour, with two more games scheduled in the USA.
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Source: fantasyfootballscout.co.uk
