Liverpool beat Sunderland 4-2 in Nashville as Iraola’s first match sees Gomez injury

Liverpool opened the Andoni Iraola era with a 4‑2 friendly win over Sunderland at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Thursday. The match saw early trouble for the hosts when defender Joe Gomez limped off after ten minutes, prompting a makeshift central‑defence partnership of two academy‑aged players. Despite the disruption at the back, Liverpool’s attacking line produced three second‑half goals – a strike from Dominik Szoboszlai, a finish by Federico Chiesa and a late conversion by Lewis Koumas – to secure the victory.

Sunderland’s response came through two goals, but the result highlighted Liverpool’s need to address defensive depth ahead of the upcoming season. The friendly, staged under the bright pink kits of Regis Le Bris’s side, provided a positive start for the new manager while underscoring the importance of reinforcing the back line. Liverpool will now turn its focus to upcoming pre‑season fixtures as they continue to evaluate squad options.