Overview
- Liverpool beat Sunderland 4-2 in Andoni Iraola’s first game in charge in Nashville on Saturday, and captain Joe Gomez was forced off inside 10 minutes with a muscle issue.
- Summer signing Jeremy Jacquet did not play as he is being eased back after shoulder surgery, and the club expects him to feature later on the US tour.
- Many senior players remain absent because of post‑World Cup breaks or ongoing injuries, so Iraola relied on academy and fringe players for minutes in the friendly.
- Iraola has publicly warned the club needs more signings, particularly at centre‑back and right‑back, and Gomez’s early injury has intensified calls for urgent defensive recruitment.
- Liverpool continue the US tour with matches against Wrexham and Leeds before returning for friendlies with Monaco and Como, ahead of the Premier League opener at Newcastle on August 23, while off‑field changes at FSG and departures in the sporting structure add complexity to transfer plans.