Iraola era begins with threadbare Liverpool XI against Sunderland in Nashville

Andoni Iraola took charge of Liverpool for the first time on Saturday, with the Reds fielding a heavily weakened side against Sunderland in a pre-season friendly at Geodis Park in Nashville. The Spaniard was without a dozen first-team players, some absent through injury and others still enjoying time off following this summer’s World Cup.

Kick-off was set for 11pm BST, marking the opening fixture of Liverpool’s American pre-season tour and the first competitive test of the Iraola era on Merseyside. The former Bournemouth boss arrived at Anfield with his backroom team of Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper, Pablo de la Torre and Tom Webber, all of whom followed him from the south coast.

Injuries and World Cup absentees bite hard

Iraola’s selection headaches stemmed from two separate problems. A cluster of players remain sidelined by injuries carried over from last season, including Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL), with the manager confirming none of the trio are close to returning. Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic are further down the road to fitness and were involved in partial training with the squad in the United States.

Elsewhere, eight players remain on holiday having represented their countries at the World Cup, among them finalists Alexis Mac Allister and summer signing Victor Munoz, who helped Spain lift the trophy. Alisson, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch were also unavailable, leaving Iraola short of several players expected to be central to his plans.

New arrival Jeremy Jacquet, who joined from Rennes this summer, was another notable absentee. The Frenchman has recovered from shoulder surgery but was held back from his Liverpool debut as a precaution.

Youthful line-up for Nashville test

With 31 players still at his disposal in Nashville, Iraola was able to name a starting XI blending fringe first-teamers with academy prospects. Giorgi Mamardashvili started in goal behind a back four of Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez, Mor Talla N’Diaye and Kostas Tsimikas, with Gomez wearing the captain’s armband.

Curtis Jones, who has been linked with a summer exit from Anfield, lined up in midfield alongside Harvey Elliott and James McConnell. With so many senior forwards missing, the attack had an unfamiliar look, with Rio Ngumoha and Kieran Morrison flanking Will Wright through the middle.

A settled coach facing an unsettled squad

Iraola enjoyed relative stability at Bournemouth, where the majority of his squad were available from the first day of pre-season across three seasons. The picture at Liverpool has been markedly different, with reports suggesting parts of the dressing room were unsettled by how Arne Slot managed the group during his final campaign in charge.

Getting senior figures such as Alisson, Van Dijk and Gravenberch fully bought into his methods will be a priority once they return to training. Liverpool’s recruitment staff are also working against the clock in the transfer window, with the club’s new Premier League campaign due to open away at Newcastle on 23 August.

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Sources

• Evening Standard
• The Mirror

This is an independent report written from the facts across the sources named above.