Liverpool head into their pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville with a depleted squad, manager Diego Iraola indicating he will be cautious with players recovering from long-term injuries and those returning from international duty.
Key absentees and fitness doubts
Among the players unavailable through injury are Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL). Iraola has been clear these three are not close to a comeback.
"None of the three are close to a comeback this summer."
Separately, Wataru Endo and Stefan Bajcetic have travelled with the squad to America and are participating in partial training, but their involvement will be limited as the management team seeks to avoid setbacks.
Players still on holiday after World Cup
Eight members of the wider playing group remain on break after completing World Cup duties. That list includes high-profile names who will not be available for selection in Tennessee: Alisson, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Alexander Isak and Ryan Gravenberch. Summer signing Victor Muñoz is also absent, currently on holiday following Spain's run to the World Cup title.
Likely starting lineup and tactical setup
With many first-choice personnel unavailable, Iraola looks set to field a side combining established squad players and those seeking to stake a claim ahead of the season. The goalkeeper berth will be handed to Giorgi Mamardashvili, despite Freddie Woodman having extended his contract earlier in the week.
- Full-back roles are likely to be occupied by Jeremy Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
- Central defence may pair Joe Gomez with the debutant Jeremy Jacquet.
- Midfield responsibilities are expected to fall to Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones, the latter subject of summer transfer speculation.
- Attack could feature Rio Ngumoha, Kieran Morrison, Harvey Elliott in the No.10 role and Federico Chiesa leading the line in the absence of a fit natural striker.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Injured | Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (ACL) |
| Doubts/Partial training | Wataru Endo, Stefan Bajcetic |
| Unavailable (World Cup/holiday) | Alisson, Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Alexander Isak, Ryan Gravenberch, Victor Muñoz |
Context and what this means for the club
The trip to Geodis Park in Nashville forms part of Liverpool's summer preparation, offering minutes to squad members and newcomers while the club manages the load of players returning from intensive international campaigns. For supporters, these fixtures provide an early look at squad depth and tactical options ahead of the competitive season, but results are secondary to fitness and conditioning at this stage.
Fans following from Liverpool should note the match kicks off on Saturday, 25 July 2026 at Geodis Park, Nashville, TN. With a mixture of experienced internationals absent and several players still building up match sharpness, the encounter is likely to feature significant rotation between the halves as Iraola balances short-term demands and long-term preparation.
Close attention will be paid to how younger and fringe players respond to the opportunity, and whether any of the names on the fringes can press for a place in the opening competitive fixtures of the season.
