Dominik Szoboszlai has sent a clear message to the new Liverpool head coach regarding his role in the squad following the conclusion of their US pre-season tour.
Liverpool flew back to Merseyside on Sunday evening, bringing an event-filled tour of the United States to a close as they maintain work towards their Premier League curtain-raiser at Newcastle United on August 23.
The Reds’ three-game trip across the Atlantic was a mixed bag on the pitch. Andoni Iraola’s tenure kicked off with dynamic attacking displays a 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Nashville followed by a hard-fought 1-0 win against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium courtesy of Rio Ngumoha.
However, the tour ended on a frustrating note in Chicago. Despite racing into a 2-0 first-half lead at Soldier Field through Luke Chambers and Florian Wirtz, a drastic second-half wobble saw Leeds United score four unanswered goals to hand Iraola his first setback as head coach.
Full-time in Chicago.
Thank you all for your brilliant support during our time in the United States ?? pic.twitter.com/jIgPPfgFWf
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 2, 2026
Post-match in Chicago, Dominik Szoboszlai offered his honest assessment on where the squad stands as the high-stakes campaign approaches.
Reflecting on the dramatic shift in momentum during the match where a dominant opening 45 minutes gave way to a disappointing finish the Hungarian midfielder emphasised the importance of taking constructive lessons from the trip.
Speaking with the club official channel during a Q&A he stated:
“You always have to look on the positive side, even if it’s negative a little bit,” Szoboszlai admitted post-match. “I know today wasn’t the best game we played since the manager came. Obviously, we have played only three games. I think in the first half we controlled the whole game, leading 2-0. At the end, losing 4-2 – we just move on.”
The primary area of concern stemming from the Soldier Field encounter centered around defensive organisation, with Leeds capitalising on dead-ball situations and long throws to turn the game on its head. Szoboszlai pulled no punches in identifying where immediate improvements must be made on the training ground.
“Exactly,” Szoboszlai responded when asked if pre-season is designed for ironing out positional mistakes. “Now, we know we conceded two goals from set-pieces. We have to take care more at them. Obviously, last season was a season as well where everything started to be really important – corners, long throw-ins – so we really have to take care of it, because I think the next season is going to be the same like last season.
The upcoming campaign will demand absolute adaptability across the squad, a challenge Szoboszlai is more than comfortable taking on. Whether deployed in his natural central midfield role or asked to fill in elsewhere along the pitch, the 25-year-old remains fully committed to supporting the team’s needs.
“Last season I managed to play a lot of positions,” Szoboszlai said on the manager appreciating versatility in his players. “Let’s see. Hopefully he will put me in the midfield but if he needs me at right-back, happy to do that!”
Having enjoyed extended time off over the summer months due to Hungary not qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Szoboszlai feels his physical condition is rapidly building toward maximum output just in time for the opener at St James’ Park.
“I had a long holiday – unfortunately, the longest in my whole career,” he noted. “So, now I’m happy to be back, happy to work again. Just getting ready now and hopefully in the first game of the season I’m going to be even more at the top.”
While a 4-2 defeat in Chicago naturally leaves a bitter taste to conclude an otherwise encouraging American venture, pre-season results are rarely an accurate barometer for what unfolds when the points are on the line.
The opening forty-five minutes at Soldier Field provided a vivid blueprint of what this Liverpool side is capable of when operating at peak intensity fluid in possession, relentless in transition, and clinical in front of goal.
The task now for the coaching staff is ensuring that level of control can be sustained over a grueling ninety minutes rather than fading after the interval.
Addressing the defensive lapses that allowed Leeds back into the contest will undoubtedly dominate video analysis sessions at Kirkby over the coming days. In a Premier League ecosystem increasingly dictated by subtle marginal gains, failing to track runners from long throw-ins or losing key individual duels inside the penalty area will be punished mercilessly by top-tier opposition.
With two remaining pre-season fixtures with Monaco and Como still on the horizon, Liverpool possess the ideal platform to correct these defensive blind spots and build rhythm before making the daunting journey to Newcastle on August 23.
If the lessons of Chicago are taken on board swiftly, this late pre-season wake-up call could ultimately serve as the catalyst for a disciplined, ruthless start to the new campaign.