NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Andoni Iraola‘s first friendly at the helm offered a glimpse of Liverpool’s future, with the head coach underlining what he expects from his side.
The Reds started their pre-season tour in the United States with a 4-2 win against Sunderland, with Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas all on the scoresheet.
While humidity and heavy legs from double training sessions took their toll, Iraola’s demand for a front-foot approach was already clear as Liverpool sought to press high up the pitch.
“I think we lacked a little bit of intensity,” Iraola assessed to All Red Video after the friendly. “You can feel the timing is still not there. We have to work a lot more, but it’s a starting point.”
NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's players line-up for a team group photograph before a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. Back row (L-R): goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, James McConnell, Will Wright, Mor Talla Ndiaye, captain Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones. Front row (L-R) Harvey Elliott, Jeremie Frimpong, Kieran Morrison, Rio Ngumoha, Kostas Tsimikas. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's players line-up for a team group photograph before a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. Back row (L-R): goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, James McConnell, Will Wright, Mor Talla Ndiaye, captain Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones. Front row (L-R) Harvey Elliott, Jeremie Frimpong, Kieran Morrison, Rio Ngumoha, Kostas Tsimikas. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Although there were various mitigating factors from the first match, including another injury to Joe Gomez and a host of absent senior players, Iraola still stressed his expectations.
“It was a matter of using the game to push ourselves and to go back to the rhythm that we should have,” he explained. “You play 45, 60 [or] whatever the minutes you play, use them properly.
“It doesn’t matter the result but keep pushing, don’t relax, get used to not playing too comfortable. We still have a lot of things to improve.”
It’s another clear message from Iraola that he recognises the early summer challenges, but refuses to let his squad use them as an excuse.
Iraola utilised a 4-2-3-1 formation, and whereas Arne Slot focused on patient, possession play, the Spaniard’s desire for direct ball movement and intensity was immediately apparent.
Although the head coach knows it will take time for the squad to fully adapt to his demands, he saw the performance against Sunderland as a “good starting point.”
“A lot of things to correct, obviously, it’s the first day,” Iraola said. “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.”
Iraola Wirtz
Iraola Wirtz
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CHICAGO, USA - Thursday, July 23, 2026: Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet departs the team hotel in Chicago on day four 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)
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NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates with team-mate Federico Chiesa (R) after scoring the second and equalising goal during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)