Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States came to a disappointing close as Andoni Iraola’s side crashed to a 4-2 defeat against Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago, throwing away a two-goal lead.
Luke Chambers opened the scoring in the seventh minute before Florian Wirtz doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time, converting a cushioned volley teed up by Jeremie Frimpong
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It looked to be a comfortable evening for the Reds, but Daniel Farke’s Leeds emerged from the break transformed, scoring four times in just 25 second-half minutes through Brenden Aaronson, a Dominic Calvert-Lewin double, and Sean Longstaff.
Amid the collapse, there was a nervy moment for Liverpool fans when Frimpong went down and was withdrawn with around 15 minutes remaining, replaced by Calum Scanlon.
The Dutch full-back shared a brief word with Iraola on the touchline before making his way to the bench, and while he didn’t appear overly concerned in the moment, any hint of a fitness issue naturally sets off alarm bells given Liverpool’s recent injury list
But in providing an update on fitness after the late arrivals from the World Cup, Andoni Iraola said that Frimpong’s substitution was just overload:
“I think they did really good. They played their first 45 minutes. Obviously Florian and Alex, because they were playing in the first half, they had an easier game or a better game. Ryan, it was costly for him. Jeremie [Frimpong] asked for the sub [but] I don’t think it’s an injury. It was just some overload and I hope he’s not injured in that way. I don’t think we’ve lost anyone.”
It’s a timely reassurance for Liverpool supporters, who will be all too aware of Frimpong’s fitness struggles over the past year.
The right-back was in and out with a string of issues last season, including a hamstring problem that sidelined him for several weeks last August and a muscle injury that kept him out from mid-November through much of the winter.
He is set to be used as a right-winger as well as a right-back ahead of the upcoming season.