Liverpool was beaten by Leeds United in Chicago, with Luke Chambers and Florian Wirtz on the scoresheet. This is what we spotted with plenty of first-half positives.
Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Leeds.
Florian Wirtz celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Leeds.(Image: Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola suffered his first defeat as Liverpool head coach as his side let a two-goal lead slip against Leeds in Chicago.
Liverpool moved in front in the contest after just seven minutes when Luke Chambers slammed the ball home from close range after a corner was flicked on by Milos Kerkez. Florian Wirtz doubled the scoreline late in the half after a team move saw Jeremie Frimpong tee him up for a volley with a good cross.
In the second half, with both sides having made changes, Brendan Aaronson pulled a goal back for Leeds, Dominic Calvert-Lewin leveled, Sean Longstaff got the winner, and Calvert-Lewin got a second. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz return
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz were both making their first appearances under Andoni Iraola and it was evident that they were very much operating as a pair.
Both looked sharp in the 45 minutes that they played, and they worked in tandem to press relentlessly, pushing up together to put the pressure on the Leeds backline.
There were some nice touches — though the pretty awful state of the turf didn't help — but nothing that major to write home about in terms of chances created or shots taken.
For a starting point in pre-season, though, it was a decent enough beginning. They will both be in the starting XI, assuming they are fit, when Liverpool takes to the field at St James' Park in three weeks.
Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong show promise
One key element of Iraola's Bournemouth team was the flying full-backs. Kerkez, as a former Cherries man, had an advantage coming into the summer as someone who knew the system already, while Frimpong looks perfectly suited.
Here, while both started fairly quietly, they did begin to show what they can do. Kerkez was lively down the left, promisingly working well with Rio Ngumoha until he was taken off, and Frimpong grew in prominence, resulting in him assisting Wirtz's goal.
There are doubts about the level of Kostas Tsimikas, who was out on loan at AS Roma last term, and there is basically no one else to play where Frimpong does right now.
It was a good job, then, that the starting pair looked up to speed and growing in both influence and confidence. They will almost certainly start the season in the team, and looked promising here, though Frimpong went off on 75 minutes when his fitness waned.
Trey Nyoni sensational again
Trey Nyoni was bossing things in the middle of the pitch, snapping into tackles thanks to his strong anticipation and then finding passes effortlessly.
Everything just looks so easy and fluid for the Liverpool number 42, who could really play a big part in the coming campaign. Clearly, he is ready, and he showed it against a good Premier League side here.
Dominik Szoboszlai was pretty good and Curtis Jones likewise, but it was Nyoni who could be the most pleased with his outing. It isn't the first time this summer that has been the case.
Nyoni has everything you need to be a success at the top level and with every passing test, he seems to come through with flying colors. At the very least, he should be considered a regular option off the bench when the real stuff starts — and maybe more.
Luke Chambers strong
Defensive duo Chambers and Ifeanyi Ndukwe have both impressed so far this summer at center-back, even though the former would rather play at left-back.
Facing their biggest challenge to date — a Leeds attack with plenty of pace and experience — the young duo certainly didn't look out of place when they had full energy levels, with Chambers even getting his name on the scoresheet.
There are things to work on — positioning at times, and sometimes challenges in the air — but that is only natural. They are only young, and that extra physicality will come.
For now, the only real drawback looking ahead to the new season is that Ndukwe doesn't have a work permit and Chambers is left-footed, when Liverpool needs someone on the right. Aside from that, both have played well enough to earn recognition.
The second-half collapse came when Ndukwe tired and Chambers had gone off. This was something to build on.
Liverpool depth problem clear
With the US tour now over, Liverpool will head back to Merseyside. It has a game at Anfield on each of the next two weekends — AS Monaco and then Como — before the proper stuff starts at Newcastle.
Isak, Wirtz and Gravenberch coming back into the fold made the team look a lot stronger on paper, and next week Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo will be joined by the rest of their teammates.
Victor Munoz and Alisson Becker will also be back at the AXA Training Centre, which will then leave only Alexis Mac Allister to return from his holidays — and Jeremy Jacquet's injury should clear up soon.
Transfers-wise, there is plenty still to be done, however, as the second-half turnaround when the second-string played proved. Bradley Barcola and a defender are a must, with questions to be answered on others like Curtis Jones as well. Isak looked sharp, but he can't play every minute, and there was a huge difference when Federico Chiesa took his place.
This, though, was another step in the right direction on the field in the first half, at least. Three weeks to go.