LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Jeremy Jacquet is absent from the squad for Liverpool’s first pre-season friendly under Andoni Iraola, against Sunderland in Nashville.
With Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Victor Munoz and Alexander Isak still unavailable after the World Cup, Iraola has a young squad at his disposal.
Giorgi Mamardashvili starts in goal behind a back four of Jeremie Frimpong, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas.
We expect Liverpool’s formation to be closest to a 4-2-3-1, with James McConnell and Curtis Jones the two deepest midfielders.
In the absence of a senior right-winger, Kieran Morrison starts, as does Rio Ngumoha on the left flank. Harvey Elliott should take up the No. 10 role, feeding the Reds’ striker, Will Wright.
Liverpool first-half XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Gomez, Ndiaye, Tsimikas; McConnell, Jones; Morrison, Elliott, Ngumoha; Wright
Substitutes: Woodman, Davies, Ndukwe, Kerkez, Ramsay, Chambers, Scanlon, Nyoni, Szoboszlai, Abe, Chiesa, Koumas, Sonni-Lambie
Rotation expected at half time
As is often the case during pre-season matches, the whole team is likely to be rotated at half time.
We should see a centre-half partnership of Ifeanyi Ndukwe and another after the break.
Tsimikas’ replacement will be Milos Kerkez, while Calvin Ramsay is ready to come on at right-back. Trey Nyoni should also feature prominently, alongside Dominik Szoboszlai.
The exciting, attacking 16-year-old Josh Abe could get his first minutes for the senior side, as could Josh Sonni-Lambie.
Lewis Koumas, who scored on his Liverpool first-team appearance against Southampton in February 2024, should play on the left, with Federico Chiesa through the middle.
How to Watch Liverpool vs. Sunderland in the UK
Liverpool vs. Sunderland is being shown live on LFCTV in the UK, which is available to live stream with All Red Video here.
Live audio commentary of Liverpool vs. Sunderland, the post-match scenes, a full match replay and highlights will also be available on All Red Video here.
This Is Anfield will also be providing live text commentary throughout on our website and full match reaction and analysis on the This Is Anfield app for iPhone and Android later.
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2026-07-20-012-Liverpool_Pre-Season_Day_1
CHICAGO, USA - Monday, July 20, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai arrives in Chicago ahead of the start of the club's pre-season tour of America. The team play friendly games in Nashville, New York and Chicago as they prepare for the start of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Josh Abe
Josh Abe
Vinicius Junior File Photo
File photo dated 10/12/2025 of Vinicius Junior. Benfica have failed in an appeal against a provisional suspension imposed by UEFA on their player Gianluca Prestianni amid allegations he racially abused Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior. Issue date: Wednesday February 25, 2026.