A heated argument, brutal weather and a shock defeat have left Liverpool facing a chaotic United States preseason tour as Andoni Iraola prepares his squad for the new campaign
Liverpool's preseason tour was far from smooth, both on and off the pitch
Liverpool's preseason tour was far from smooth, both on and off the pitch(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool’s preseason tour of the United States has already provided plenty of drama, with Andoni Iraola’s first trip across the Atlantic as head coach proving anything but straightforward.
The trip was expected to give Iraola valuable time to implement his tactics and assess his squad ahead of the new season. Instead, Liverpool has encountered several unexpected obstacles away from the pitch while also suffering a surprise setback on it.
With a new head coach attempting to establish his methods and several players still adapting to his approach, the tour has offered an early glimpse into the challenges facing Iraola. The Reds will now look to regroup, sharpen their performances and ensure their preparations remain on track ahead of the new campaign.
Liverpool.com has rounded up the key moments from Liverpool’s eventful U.S. tour.
Szoboszlai's heated exchange with Jones
In New York, Curtis Jones was spotted pointing and gesticulating toward Dominik Szoboszlai and Kostas Tsimikas as tensions appeared to rise during Liverpool’s latest preseason outing. The midfielder looked visibly frustrated during the animated exchange before Jeremie Frimpong stepped in to help calm the situation.
The players eventually walked away from the confrontation, allowing tempers to cool after an intense preseason test. The reason for the exchange remains unclear, but the incident came after Szoboszlai had handed the captain’s armband to Tsimikas rather than Jones when he was substituted in the previous match. Tsimikas was then seen throwing the armband to the ground during the heated exchange.
There was no repeat of the drama against Leeds, however. When Szoboszlai was taken off in the second half, he walked over to Jones and handed him the captain’s armband.
Tour results, including Leeds shock
Iraola began his Liverpool reign with a 4-2 win over Sunderland in the Reds’ opening U.S. tour game. Kieran Morrison opened the scoring before Enzo Le Fee equalized, with Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, Timur Tuterov and Lewis Koumas all finding the net after the break. Joe Gomez’s early withdrawal with a suspected muscle issue was the only major concern.
Liverpool lost to Leeds on Sunday
Liverpool lost to Leeds on Sunday(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool then edged Wrexham 1-0 at Yankee Stadium, with Rio Ngumoha’s deflected strike proving the difference in a largely uneventful contest. The Reds suffered their first defeat of the preseason against Leeds, throwing away a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 in Chicago. Luke Chambers and Florian Wirtz had put Liverpool in control before Brendan Aaronson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Sean Longstaff completed Leeds’ comeback.
Liverpool hit with travel chaos
Liverpool’s preseason preparations were disrupted by adverse weather conditions, with the team’s flight from Chicago to New York canceled. Iraola and his players had been due to fly to New York on Tuesday afternoon, but thunderstorms and heavy rain forced the cancellation, with the city placed under a flood watch until 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
The disruption also affected preparations for Liverpool’s second warm-up game and the planned unveiling of the club’s new Adidas away kit. Several first-team players had been scheduled to model the new strip but were unable to take part. Liverpool eventually traveled to New York on Wednesday, leaving Iraola with a shortened turnaround before the next fixture.
Defensive concerns
While the majority of the squad escaped relatively unscathed, Reds fans will be concerned by the two injuries sustained during the tour.
Gomez was forced off after just eight minutes in Nashville, sparking concerns over his fitness ahead of the new Premier League campaign. Iraola later confirmed the defender would miss Liverpool’s opening game of the season. “It’s a muscle injury. I always say one month, maybe less. But it’s impossible to have him for the start of the Premier League season, but not so long after that,” Iraola told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.
Reds fans had also hoped to see new signing Jeremy Jacquet feature during the tour. Jacquet joined Liverpool this summer after the club agreed a deal with Rennes in January, having returned to full first-team training following a shoulder injury that ended his Ligue 1 campaign.
However, the 21-year-old suffered a setback, with Iraola insisting he did not want to rush the Frenchman back into action. With Gomez and Jacquet sidelined alongside Giovanni Leoni, who is recovering from an ACL injury, Liverpool is now short of senior center-back options, leaving Virgil van Dijk as the only established option available.