Journalist: Liverpool’s weakness has already been exposed against Sunderland | OneFootball

Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland: Joe Gomez injury exposes defensive need as Kieran Morrison and Federico Chiesa give Andoni Iraola key answers

Andoni Iraola’s opening weeks as Liverpool head coach were always likely to be shaped by first impressions, emerging themes and early warning signs. In Nashville, a 4-2 victory over Sunderland delivered all three. There was encouraging attacking play, a standout display from Kieran Morrison, another reminder of Federico Chiesa’s usefulness, and a concern that could yet define the rest of Liverpool’s summer.

The issue is at centre back. Joe Gomez going down inside the opening stages turned what should have been a straightforward pre-season talking point into something far more urgent. As Lewis Steele reported for the Daily Mail, this was “the sight that no Reds fan, or the transfer committee, wanted to see.” For a club already walking a defensive tightrope, the significance was immediate.

Liverpool still had enough quality to get through the game, with goals from Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Lewis Koumas and Chiesa sealing a deserved win. Yet the broader takeaway from this performance was not simply about the scoreline. It was about squad construction, trust in youth and whether overlooked players can still shape Iraola’s thinking before the competitive season begins.

Joe Gomez injury leaves Liverpool needing defensive signings

There is no escaping the central point. “Defensive reinforcements are a necessity” is the clearest conclusion from this match, and it feels difficult to argue otherwise. Gomez’s withdrawal came with the kind of body language supporters know too well. Steele noted that he “went down off the ball, holding what appeared to be a muscular problem” and that “he had a grimace on his face and a look of resignation.”

Whether the issue proves serious or precautionary almost feels secondary in the short term. Liverpool’s depth in that area is already under strain. Jeremy Jacquet was unavailable, with the club understandably cautious over his fitness after a disrupted period at Rennes. Virgil van Dijk has been left out of the tour to manage his workload after an enormous amount of football last season. Giovanni Leoni is still progressing in his recovery after a serious knee injury. Ibrahima Konate has gone, and that departure has only sharpened the spotlight on the remaining options.

In that context, one sentence from the original report stands above the rest, “All of these ingredients add up to one conclusion: Liverpool simply must sign a new defender this summer.” That is the nub of it. Liverpool can talk about measured succession planning and targeted recruitment, but this now looks like a problem requiring action rather than patience.

There is also a profile question to answer. If Iraola wants his back line to defend aggressively, hold space well and cope physically in transition, then the next signing cannot simply be an extra body. It needs to be a defender capable of contributing quickly and consistently. Liverpool have promising youth in the system, but asking teenagers to plug a structural hole over a full season would be a considerable risk.

The result in Nashville was positive. The warning underneath it was much louder.

Photo: IMAGO

Kieran Morrison stakes his claim in attack

If the evening carried one genuinely uplifting individual storyline, it was Morrison. Pre-season often creates moments for young players, but taking those chances is what matters. On this evidence, the 19-year-old did exactly that.

His goal was the headline contribution, arriving after Harvey Elliott slipped a clever pass into his path. Morrison cut in from the right and finished neatly into the bottom corner with his left foot. Yet his impact went beyond one action. He looked sharp, confident and capable of creating danger repeatedly. As Steele put it, “he was the man of the match here in Tennessee and Iraola must have been impressed.”

That feels like a fair assessment. Morrison played with the sort of purpose coaches want to see in July. He did not look content merely to be involved, he looked determined to alter the conversation around him. With Liverpool short in certain attacking areas, and with the shape of the forward line still developing, there is a genuine opening for someone to force their way into the picture.

The report also made an important wider point about his background and potential trajectory. “Northern Ireland are trying to tie down the Manchester-born teenager,” and this display offered another glimpse of why he is so highly regarded. Morrison has spent long enough in elite development environments to understand the demands, first at Manchester United as a child and then at Liverpool from Under-14 level onwards. What matters now is translating academy promise into first-team relevance.

Nobody sensible will overreact to one pre-season game, but nor should his performance be brushed aside. Liverpool need solutions, and one of the more intriguing ones may already be inside the building.

Federico Chiesa gives Iraola a selection dilemma

Chiesa’s Liverpool career has drifted between frustration, flashes of quality and uncertainty over his long-term place. That is why his display here was so interesting. He scored Liverpool’s third goal with a composed finish from a tight angle, and his contribution in the build-up to Koumas’s strike underlined another part of his game, awareness in central areas.

Steele framed the debate well, writing: “There are several notable shortcomings to Federico Chiesa’s game that have been well documented by fans. But one thing he has that could be desirable to Iraola is versatility.” In a squad that may still need reshaping before the window closes, that versatility carries weight.

Chiesa can work from either flank and can also fill in through the middle. For a coach still learning his group in live situations, those adaptable players often become valuable quickly. Not necessarily as stars, but as practical squad pieces who can solve short-term selection issues and maintain tactical flexibility.

The question, of course, is ceiling. Chiesa has had difficult moments at Liverpool and has not fully established himself over an extended period. The report notes that “His first season was a write-off, pretty much, due to injury. The next campaign had some bright moments and big goals but, overall, he never earned the trust of Arne Slot.” That previous lack of trust may not dictate what comes next under a new coach, but it remains part of the background.

Still, this was useful evidence in his favour. If Iraola values attacking players who can cover multiple roles and produce in decisive moments, Chiesa has at least reopened the case for staying. The line “It is food for thought for Iraola” feels apt, because Liverpool may yet have a practical decision to make on whether keeping him is more beneficial than moving him on.

Liverpool youngsters show depth beyond headline names

Morrison took the spotlight, but he was not the only younger player to leave a positive impression. Liverpool’s pre-season has naturally created space for less established names, and several responded well in Nashville.

At the back, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe both had substantial minutes and handled themselves well. Ndiaye’s physicality and calmness in possession stood out, while Ndukwe’s size and presence offer an obvious point of intrigue. With the senior centre-back options looking thin, both may find themselves closer to the first-team picture than expected at this stage of the campaign.

In midfield, James McConnell again looked composed and competitive. Steele wrote that the “21-year-old James McConnell impressed in midfield for Liverpool”, and that aligns with the eye test. He seems to understand the rhythm of senior football and has a growing knack for making the game look settled around him. Calum Scanlon also brought energy from the left, while 16-year-old Josh Abe showed flashes that suggested confidence well beyond his age.

Lewis Koumas deserves mention too. His goal was taken with maturity and his movement was encouraging. There is a directness to his game that can help in these pre-season contests, but there is also an intelligence developing in how he joins combinations around the box.

For Iraola, this is one of the more useful aspects of the tour. Beyond systems and fitness work, he is gathering evidence on who can be trusted when the squad is stretched. Liverpool still need additions, especially in defence, but they may also have more internal solutions than many expected.