Gomez injury overshadows winning start for Iraola

What the report says

BBC Sport reported that Liverpool opened Andoni Iraola’s tenure with a 4-2 friendly win over Sunderland in Nashville, but the result was overshadowed by an early injury to Joe Gomez. Gomez, starting at centre-back and wearing the captain’s armband, was forced off after eight minutes, prompting Iraola to describe it as the worst news of the evening after a spell in which the squad had avoided losing players in training.

Liverpool were already short of senior options in central defence. BBC Sport said new signing Jeremy Jacquet was held back as the club manages his return after months without playing, while Virgil van Dijk had been given extra time off after the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign. Teenagers Mor Talla N’diaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe made debuts and played much of the match, with 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni still on an individual programme following a serious ACL injury.

On the field, Kieran Morrison put Liverpool ahead after a Harvey Elliott assist, before Sunderland responded through Enzo le Fee and Timur Tutierov. Dominik Szoboszlai equalised from distance after coming on at half-time, Federico Chiesa made it 3-2 from Calvin Ramsay’s pass, and Lewis Koumas added the fourth. BBC Sport reported that 24,897 fans attended the match, most of them backing Liverpool.

The game was the first stop of Liverpool’s United States tour under Iraola, who said the team still had many areas to improve despite the win. Liverpool are due to face Wrexham in New York next, while Sunderland are scheduled to play Leeds in New Jersey at the same time.