Liverpool rally past Sunderland 4-2 in Iraola's debut, Gomez injured

Liverpool opened Andoni Iraola’s reign with a 4-2 win over Sunderland at GEODIS Park in Nashville, but the early loss of Joe Gomez quickly became the defining moment of the night. The match, Liverpool’s first pre-season friendly of the summer, offered a first look at Iraola’s team and an immediate reminder of how fragile the squad can look if key defenders are unavailable.

Kieran Morrison put Liverpool ahead before Sunderland replied through Enzo Le Fée, and Timur Tutierov then pushed the visitors into a 2-1 lead just after half-time. Liverpool responded through Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas to complete the turnaround, with the young and fringe players helping shift the game back in Liverpool’s favour. The Athletic noted that Szoboszlai finished with both a goal and an assist, underlining how decisive he was in a match that swung several times before Liverpool finally took control.

Gomez’s injury in the opening minutes cut across the celebration. ESPN said Iraola described losing the defender as “the worst news” of Liverpool’s pre-season tour so far, and Liverpool Echo reported that the head coach also hinted at how Jeremy Jacquet could be used after the setback. For a side entering a new era, the defensive concern carried more weight than the comeback itself.

Iraola kept the focus on the work still ahead. Reuters reported that he said there were “a lot of things to correct, obviously, it's the first day. You could feel the heavy legs, the players have been training,” a comment that fit the mixed nature of the performance: sharp enough to win, but still carrying the stiffness of early pre-season. Liverpool still found four goals in a game that twice tilted away from them, yet the bigger test now is whether the back line can absorb another absence if Gomez is sidelined for any length of time.