Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland: Andoni Iraola makes winning start to life as Reds head coach | Football News
Andoni Iraola won his first match in charge of Liverpool as his new side produced an impressive display to beat Sunderland 4-2 in their opening game of their summer tour of the US.
Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot at Anfield in June, will have been delighted with some of the football Liverpool produced in the Nashville heat, especially a fine team move that led to the opening goal for young midfielder Kieran Morrison after 13 minutes.
The Basque, like his opposite number Regis Le Bris, rung the changes after the first half, with Liverpool improving after the break to turn around a 2-1 deficit thanks to a characteristic Dominik Szoboszlai piledriver, followed by further strikes from fellow substitutes Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas.
However, there was one negative for Iraola, who saw stand-in captain and long-serving defender Joe Gomez forced off early on with what looked a muscle issue in an area of the team where Liverpool really could do without any injuries heading into the new campaign.
The key moments from Nashville SC Stadium
8: INJURY! A big worry already for Liverpool with captain Gomez down with an injury and this does not look good for the centre-back.
13: GOAL! The first goal of the Iraola era is scored by Morrison after a wonderful team move involving some impressive build-up from the likes of McConnell, Ngumoha and Elliott, who fed the midfielder in space on the right of the box and he then found the bottom corner with a low shot.
28: GOAL! Sunderland are level as McConnell loses possession deep inside the Black Cats’ half allowing Le Fee to break upfield and as the Reds defence backed off, the playmaker fired an unstoppable effort past a helpless Mamardashvili from 25 yards.
49: GOAL! Sunderland have turned this one around to now lead after Frimpong lost possession in a bad area, with the ball then slipped through for Tuterov, with the half-time sub finishing confidently.
56: GOAL! It is now raining goals as Szoboszlai hits an absolute worldie to bring Liverpool level after an excellent break down the left involving Koumas and Kerkez and after Sunderland only half clear the danger, the Hungary midfielder lashes home an unstoppable volley from the left edge of the box.
72: GOAL! And now Liverpool are back in front as Ramsey feeds Chiesa in space in the box and from a tight angle and faced with the onrushing Moore to beat, the sub finds the back of the net from a tight angle.
85: GOAL! Liverpool score another excellent goal to surely wrap this game up as Sunderland initially give the ball away and Szoboszlai finds Koumas in the box and the sub does well to find the net with a confident finish.
‘A lot of things to correct, but a good starting point’
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola:
“I think it was different halves. Especially, they were a lot stronger in the first half. We kind of balanced both teams, and you could feel the difference. A lot of things to correct, obviously, it’s the first day.
“You could feel the heavy legs, the players have been training. So, we lacked some freshness. But it will give us a good starting point to improve things.
“Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe [Gomez]. We were happy because we were kind of going through all the training without losing any player. Unluckily for us, straight away we’ve lost Joe.”
Lots of positives for Iraola to take
Sky Sports’ Rich Morgan:
Lots of positives for Iraola to take from his first match in charge of Liverpool, starting obviously with the win, although this being preseason in many ways it was the performance of his players and how well they gelled at times that will have most pleased the new Reds boss.
Liverpool scored some eye-catching goals, the team got better as the game wore on, despite the heat in Nashville, and all 22 players used with be better for this first competitive runout of preseason.
Iraola sweating on nature of Gomez’s latest injury
Sky Sports’ Rich Morgan:
Iraola may have won his first match in charge of Liverpool, but there was some worrying injury news as Joe Gomez was forced off early on.
Joe Gomez was substituted early on with an injury
The long-serving defender appeared to suffer a muscle issue and was replaced in the centre of defence by youngster Ifeanyi Ndukwe just 10 minutes into the club’s first preseason game of their summer tour of the US.
Gomez, 29, has a long history of injuries at Anfield, although Iraola will hope it is nothing too serious with Ibrahima Konate having left on a free transfer at the end of last season, while both Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet missed the game in Nashville also with injury.
Leoni, signed last year from Parma, will not be back to full fitness for at least a few months after suffering an ACL on his Reds debut last September, while Jacquet, who joined the club from Rennes this summer, missed the game with a minor knock having only just recovered from a shoulder issue.
Liverpool’s pre-season fixtures
July 30: Liverpool vs Wrexham – New York, 12.30am
August 2: Liverpool vs Leeds – Chicago, 9pm
August 9: Liverpool vs Monaco – Anfield, 2.30pm
August 16: Liverpool vs Como – Anfield, 6pm
Sunderland’s pre-season fixtures
July 31: Sunderland vs Leeds – New Jersey, 12.30am
August 2: Sunderland vs Wrexham – Philadelphia, 6pm
August 8: Lens vs Sunderland – Lens training ground (behind closed doors), 11am
August 8: Lens vs Sunderland – Stade Bollaert-Delelis, 4pm
August 15: Sunderland vs Rennes – Stadium of Light, 3pm
