NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool players line-up for a team group photograph before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool players line-up for a team group photograph before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool 1-0 Wrexham: 5 talking points as centre-back steps up and Szobo sets standard
It was another pre-season win in testing conditions for Liverpool in their second game under Andoni Iraola, as a young centre-back stepped up and a seasoned senior starter set the standard.
Liverpool 1-0 Wrexham
Pre-season (2), Yankee Stadium
July 29, 2026
Goals: Ngumoha 75’
Szoboszlai stands out
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's captain Dominik Szoboszlai during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's captain Dominik Szoboszlai during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Big-name first-team players were few and far between in the lineup in New York, which may have disappointed the fans who had paid a considerable amount of money for a ticket, but they will not have been disappointed with the performance of Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian was playing a box-to-box role, and immediately looks like the most comfortable player in Andoni Iraola’s system.
The captain on the night was heavily involved throughout, from deep build-up play to being on the edge of the area to make probing passes or taking shots.
He has already scored one wondergoal this pre-season, and threatened again in this second outing under the new boss.
He got the assist for Ngumoha’s goal and finished the game with the highest FotMob rating, matching the performance seen by the fans, which was a level above anyone else on the pitch.
Tight pitch provided an extra challenge
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: A general view before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: A general view before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Many eyes will be on how Liverpool press in these early games under Iraola, but the cramped pitch at Yankee Stadium was more of a test of how the players can pass around an opposition press in tight spaces.
Iraola mentioned the pitch size before the game as providing a different sort of test without going into too much detail about what that would be.
The size of the pitch when converted from its usual use as a baseball field at Yankee Stadium has been a constant point of discussion in MLS, where it is home to New York City FC.
This is especially the case among opposition fans and teams who will mock NYCFC for playing on a baseball field.
One opposition coach, Peter Vermes, then at Sporting Kansas City, actually measured it by pacing it out and reckoned it came in a couple of yards short of the stated length.
The pitch is, though, at the minimum dimensions required, similar to those of Fulham’s Craven Cottage, but can look smaller, especially given the angle of the stands and on TV due to where the camera is, quite low down and back from the touchline.
It provided a good workout for the players, and was also a test of their sharpness at this stage of the season, requiring quick thinking and concentration on the ball, keeping them on their toes.
Moment of promise
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
The game struggled to really get going as is often the case in pre-season, but there was one early example of something that could potentially be seen in the first team in the coming weeks.
There was no surprise that Szoboszlai was involved from his deeper midfield role, feeding the ball through to an attacking midfield position where Harvey Elliott was waiting.
Elliott just needed a runner for a chance-creating pass to be on, and he got the run from 16-year-old Josh Abe.
The finish didn’t match said run, but it was a really promising sign from two senior players who carved the opposition apart with direct passing.
It was another encouraging pre-season display from Elliott who is hoping to make a big impression in what he sees as a fresh start at the club having spent last season on loan at Aston Villa.
Ifeanyi Ndukwe takes centre-back chance
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe in the line-up before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Ifeanyi Ndukwe in the line-up before a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool are, as we know, short on options in the centre of defence at the moment, meaning an opportunity for some youngsters during this tour.
Left-back Luke Chambers did a good job standing in in the left centre-back slot, but alongside him to the right, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, a natural in the position, stood out against Wrexham with both his physical presence and his passing.
Despite being only 18, Ndukwe towers above opponents and teammates alike, as was evident when there was a shot of him next to Elliott at the start of the second half.
Iraola will be encouraged by Ndukwe’s composed contributions in this pre-season game, but unfortunately the Austrian has to be loaned out this coming season for work permit reasons.
Liverpool still draw a crowd in NYC
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha shoots to score the first goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha shoots to score the first goal during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
New York City FC usually get around 20,000 spectators for their matches, though Yankee Stadium does have the potential for big crowds, such as the 45,000 who turned out to watch Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami side when they played in the Bronx prior to the World Cup.
Despite ticket prices of well over $100, Liverpool and Wrexham filled the stands, with 42,204 fans in attendance.
It was ultimately a fairly low-key pre-season game, but they almost matched the Messi crowd from earlier in the year.
The Liverpool contingent, which included famous New York resident and host of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver, had something to cheer when the brightest young talent in the first team, Rio Ngumoha, dribbled at the opposition defence and saw his deflected shot loop over Wrexham goalie Callum Burton.
Even though it wasn’t a game full of clear chances, it was a goal Liverpool deserved, and they’ll happily take a second win from as many games this pre-season.
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NEW YORK, USA - Wednesday, July 29, 2026: Liverpool's Lewis Koumas during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Wrexham AFC at Yankee Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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