Liverpool’s Pre-season Win Over Sunderland Marred by Joe Gomez Injury

On July 25, 2026 Liverpool opened its U.S. summer tour at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee, with a 4-2 victory over Sunderland. Goals came from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas. Sunderland replied through Enzo Le Fee and Timur Tutierov. Centre-back and captain Joe Gomez was forced off in the eighth minute, leaving Liverpool to finish the match with an 18-year-old pairing of Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe in central defence.

The Guardian

The friendly was the first competitive appearance for new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, who succeeded Arne Slot in June. Iraola inherited a defence already thin after the free-transfer departure of Ibrahima Konaté to Real Madrid and the long-term absences of Giovanni Leoni (ACL injury) and summer signing Jérémy Jacquet (shoulder injury). Jacquet’s £55 million move from Rennes was completed in February but he was rested for precautionary reasons.

Sports Illustrated

• Final score: Liverpool 4 – 2 Sunderland.

CNET

• Goal scorers: Morrison (13´), Szoboszlai, Chiesa, Koumas (Liverpool); Le Fee, Tutierov (Sunderland).

Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland: Andoni Iraola makes winning start to life as Reds head coach

• Defensive line after Gomez’s exit: Ndiaye and Ndukwe – the only centre-backs on the pitch.

The Guardian

• Liverpool list four senior centre-backs on contract (Gomez, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Leoni).

Sports Illustrated

• Reported attendance: 24,897 spectators.

The Straits Times

Iraola described Gomez’s injury as “the worst news” and reiterated that the squad was “very thin” defensively. He explained that Jacquet would be eased back, noting his months without competitive play due to a shoulder problem and that the French centre-back is expected to feature in the final U.S. match. Iraola also confirmed that Virgil van Dijk will miss the tour, training at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby, while Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch are already in Chicago and will rejoin the squad shortly.

ESPN

• “Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe,” — Andoni Iraola, liverpool head coach

ESPN

• “With Jeremy, we decided to take it easy with him,” — Andoni Iraola, liverpool head coach

Sports Illustrated

• “They are already there in Chicago,” — Andoni Iraola, liverpool head coach

ESPN

• “I think it was different halves,” — Andoni Iraola, liverpool head coach

The ‘worst news’ for Liverpool in Iraola’s first match as they come from behind to beat Sunderland in the US

The early loss of Gomez, a long-standing defensive mainstay, sharpens concerns about Liverpool’s depth ahead of the Premier League season. With only Van Dijk available among experienced centre-backs, the club may need to act in the summer transfer window (which closes on September 1) to avoid a repeat of the “very thin” back line that plagued the previous campaign. Both Gomez and Van Dijk have just one year remaining on their contracts, adding urgency to any recruitment decisions.

Andoni Iraola: Five things we learned from Liverpool head coach's first game in charge against Sunderland

Liverpool’s U.S. itinerary continues with friendlies against Wrexham in New York and Leeds United in Chicago. The squad expects the return of Isak, Wirtz and Gravenberch from their post-World Cup breaks, while Van Dijk will resume preseason training in England after his extended rest. The club will also monitor the recovery progress of Leoni and Jacquet before the competitive season begins.

ESPN