Liverpool’s new era under Andoni Iraola began with an entertaining 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Nashville, but the result was overshadowed by an early injury to Joe Gomez that has intensified concerns about the club’s defensive depth. Goals from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, and Lewis Koumas secured the win in front of 24,897 fans, yet it was the sight of their captain trudging off the pitch in the eighth minute that dominated the post-match conversation.
A Concerning Start: Gomez Injury Raises Alarm Bells
Defensive Depth Under Immediate Scrutiny
The Iraola era received the worst possible opening when Gomez, who started the friendly as both centre-back and captain, went down injured and was forced off within the first ten minutes. The timing could hardly have been more unfortunate for a Liverpool squad already stretched thin at the back.
“Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe,” Iraola admitted after the match. “We were happy because we were going through training without losing any players, and unluckily for us we’ve lost Joe straight away.”
Compounding the issue, new signing Jeremy Jacquet was also unavailable for the opening fixture of Liverpool’s USA tour. The centre-half has endured months without competitive football, and the coaching staff opted for a cautious approach. “With Jeremy, we decided to take it easy with him,” Iraola explained. “He’s had a lot of months without playing and he’s been training very well, but we’re going to take it easy. He will play probably in the last game of this tour.”
Teenage Centre-Backs Step Up
With Virgil van Dijk granted additional rest following the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign, two 18-year-old centre-backs—Mor Talla N’diaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe—were tasked with holding the defensive line until the 68th minute. Both made their Liverpool debuts and performed admirably under challenging circumstances, though neither can realistically be expected to feature regularly at this stage.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni continues his rehabilitation from a severe ACL tear through individual training. Iraola had acknowledged earlier in the week that his squad was “very thin” defensively, and witnessing Gomez’s departure in Nashville will have reinforced that message to sporting director Richard Hughes, who was present at the match.
Goals Galore in Music City: Liverpool’s Attacking Promise
Szoboszlai and Morrison Shine
Despite the defensive concerns, Liverpool provided plenty of attacking entertainment on a warm Friday evening in Tennessee. Szoboszlai, who had joined teammates exploring Nashville’s famous Broadway entertainment district the previous evening, appeared to draw inspiration from the city’s vibrant atmosphere. The Hungarian midfielder, wearing the captain’s armband after coming on at half-time, scored a stunning strike from outside the box to level the contest at 2-2.
Sunderland had taken the lead through Timur Tutierov after Enzo le Fee initially equalized for the Championship side. However, Liverpool’s response demonstrated the quality within Iraola’s attacking options.
Harvey Elliott, returning to the club following his loan spell at Aston Villa, made an immediate impact with a surging run to assist Kieran Morrison for Liverpool’s opener. The 19-year-old Northern Ireland international cut in from the right before delivering a composed left-footed finish, capping what was a brilliant all-around performance. With Liverpool still seeking a quality winger following Mohamed Salah’s departure, Morrison showcased why he could provide a valuable option from the bench if he remains with the squad this summer.
Chiesa and Koumas Seal the Victory
For the predominantly Liverpool-supporting crowd inside the stadium, it was a moment of particular joy when fan favourite Federico Chiesa made it 3-2 with a brilliant finish following a well-weighted pass from Calvin Ramsay. Lewis Koumas then capped an impressive individual display with a fourth goal to put the result beyond doubt.
Earlier in that decisive move, 16-year-old Josh Abe played a significant role, carrying the ball up the pitch down the right flank. The England youth international, who turned 16 just last week, made his Liverpool debut in the second half and offered glimpses of the potential that has made him one of the club’s most highly rated prospects.
Looking Ahead: The Road to Chicago
Key Players Arrive for Training
While the Nashville result provided encouragement, Iraola was quick to emphasize that this represents merely the beginning of his project. The Liverpool head coach and his squad will return to their base in Chicago, where Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Ryan Gravenberch have already arrived and are scheduled to begin training on Sunday.
“It doesn’t matter the result, but keep pushing, don’t relax, get used to not playing too comfortable,” Iraola insisted. “We still have a lot of things to improve.”
The manner in which Liverpool conceded both goals—le Fee given excessive space to fire past Giorgi Mamardashvili, and the defence opened up far too easily for Tutierov’s strike—underscores that significant tactical work remains. Nevertheless, the attacking fluidity on display and the emergence of promising young talents provided genuine reasons for optimism as the Iraola era takes shape ahead of the new Premier League season.
