Liverpool ship four second-half goals to leave Iraola with much to ponder

Liverpool leave their USA pre-season tour with two wins and one defeat

On the flight home from Chicago, as he reflects on the 4-2 loss to Leeds that ended Liverpool’s United States tour, manager Andoni Iraola will have plenty to think about.

The first-half display was arguably the best since he took charge of Liverpool, but the second was categorically their worst as they conceded four times without reply inside 25 minutes.

Iraola did make a raft of changes at the break and in the second half but that is no excuse for the way they capitulated against Daniel Farke’s side.

Their lack of squad depth and physicality was alarmingly exposed and Iraola will be concerned with the ease with which Leeds scored, albeit against an inexperienced backline that finished with Calvin Ramsay, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Kostas Tsimikas.

With Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz making their return, Liverpool were excellent in the first half and it is important not to be too critical but perhaps Iraola will be glad in the long-run that he saw this second-half display, where Liverpool’s set-piece deficiencies were highlighted too.

The intensity Iraola demands on the training pitch was evident in the first half but seemed non-existent after the break. Senior figures like Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa did not cover themselves in glory.

“I particularly hate this month of August because you start the competitions and you still don’t know if some of the players are going to leave and who’s going to come - there is a lot of uncertainty,” said Iraola, earlier in the week.

Iraola will meet Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alisson Becker and new signing Victor Munoz over the coming days at the AXA Training Centre.

By then, the only first-team player he will have yet to meet will be Alexis Mac Allister, who has been granted extra time off following Argentina’s run to the World Cup final. Munoz, who did not play a minute in Spain’s successful World Cup campaign, will return earlier to aid his integration into the squad.

However, over the course of a fortnight in America, Liverpool have had no incomings. That was in part because Iraola wanted to see the squad at his disposal before making decisions. What he saw in this defeat will play into those decisions.

“I think we learn a lot of things. Obviously it’s not the result you want but I think (it was) probably the most useful friendly we played – in a positive way in the first half and in a negative way in the second half,” said Iraola. “I think we’ve learned a lot and I think we can take good conclusions and solve some things.”

Wirtz scored seven goals for Liverpool last season

Even before the second-half troubles, Iraola would have known that there was no time to waste as he plans for the start of the season, his starting 11 reflecting this with Isak and Wirtz in against Leeds - even if the state of the pitch suggested that could be a risk.

The inclusion of a pair who cost a combined £225m last summer also gave the teamsheet the star quality befitting the host city of Chicago, home to both the Lollapalooza Festival and Major League Baseball series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.

And in what was Liverpool’s best half of the tour, Isak looked sharp and Wirtz scored as they suffocated Leeds with their press and moved the ball around with confidence.

Their early breakthrough came from an unlikely source. Luke Chambers spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic but, given Liverpool’s centre-half crisis, the left-back moved inside against Wrexham in Liverpool’s previous friendly and kept his place.

Fresh from impressing Iraola in New York, Chambers hammered home from inside the box in the seventh minute after Milos Kerkez got a touch on Szoboszlai’s corner.

Rio Ngumoha caused havoc down his preferred left flank while 19-year-old Trey Nyoni continued his excellent pre-season with another solid showing. In the 40th minute, he floated a ball across to Jeremie Frimpong, who cut it back to Wirtz and the German did the rest. It was a wonderful team goal that involved Isak too.

Nyoni has been linked with a loan move this summer but on these showings, the midfielder will surely stay and get more minutes for Liverpool this season.

He only played 229 minutes in 2025-26 but Iraola has spoken glowingly about his attributes, not least his confidence on the ball and his desire to go direct.

All done deals in August 2026

The transfer window for Premier League, English Football League, Scottish Premiership and Women’s Super League clubs - and their counterparts in Germany, France, Spain and Italy - re-opened on 15 June.

The window will close at 2300 BST on Tuesday, 2 September.

Take a look at all the confirmed deals for August, and read the latest rumours in Football Gossip.

Mamadou Sangare [Lens - Brentford] Undisclosed

Danny Welbeck [Brighton - Chelsea] Undisclosed

English Football League

Kamarl Grant [Millwall - Bromley] Loan

Osman Kamara [Blackburn - Crawley] Loan

Nick Michalski [Blackburn - Crawley] Loan

Sam Szmodics [Ipswich - Derby] Loan with obligation to buy

Nathan Tinsdale [Hull City - Crawley] Loan

Tommy Watson [Brighton - Leicester] Loan

Foden aims to repay Man City faith in fresh start

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is aiming to “repay” the faith shown in him by the club as he aims for a “fresh start” under new manager Enzo Maresca.

The 26-year-old scored 19 goals as City won the Premier League in 2023-24 and was named the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year and the league’s player of the season.

However, he has not managed to hit those heights in the past two seasons - scoring 10 times last term, but failing to net in his past 31 appearances for club and country.

Despite his struggles, Foden was offered a new contract by City and signed a four-year deal last month to keep him at Etihad Stadium until 2030.

“It has made me feel relaxed and I can just concentrate on being the best version of me and give back to the football club for them trusting in me,” Foden said.

“It is nice to see the support from the club and obviously it means a lot.

“It’s about time I try and repay them and give back to the club.”

Foden was given his first-team debut as a 17-year-old by former manager Pep Guardiola and has gone on to make 369 appearances for City, winning six Premier League titles, one Champions League and two FA Cups.

Guardiola left at the end of last season and Italian Maresca was named as his replacement, returning to the club where he previously worked in the academy and as first-team assistant.

Asked how he was feeling this summer, academy product Foden said: “Very good - a fresh start, a new manager and up to now, really enjoying it.

“It is very strange but I know Enzo from before, so that also helps. I know him quite well and what [he] is about.

“That has definitely helped, to have that relationship with him.”

Foden started for England in their 2024 European Championship final defeat by Spain but missed out on a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The Three Lions reached the semi-finals of the tournament before losing 2-1 to Argentina, and Foden said it was hard watching them walk out for the national anthem before games.

Foden said Maresca had checked in with him after he was left out of Tuchel’s squad.

Foden said: “He [Maresca] reached out just after to see if it was OK, which was very nice of him, to show us this character and the person he is.

“He cares about everyone and wants to have a good relationship with the team.”

Foden struggled last season with a combination of off-field issues and an ankle injury, but says he is now “fully fit”.

Asked about Foden’s role in the team, Maresca said: “Phil is very important, like the rest. Knowing Phil from years ago, I know how good he is.

“It is my duty to help him be the Phil we all want.

“First of all, to be happy and enjoy football is most important. If he feels good, he can help us win titles.”

Maresca will take charge of City for the first time in Saturday’s friendly against Inter Milan in Hong Kong.

Despite losing the experience and knowhow of Guardiola, captain Bernardo Silva and England defender John Stones, Foden feels City can achieve “amazing things” next season.

Speaking at the club’s new Puma away kit launch in Hong Kong, Foden said: “I think we can win everything, but it’s obviously hard. We have still got an unbelievable team.”

'I will miss him' - Barcelona boss Flick has to 'accept' Rashford loss

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick admits Marcus Rashford’s exit will leave a void at the Camp Nou.

The La Liga champions did not trigger the £26m clause to turn his loan spell into a permanent move from Manchester United.

The England forward scored 14 goals in 49 games last season to help Barcelona lift the La Liga title, but he has now returned to Old Trafford.

“You don’t know what happens with players who are on loan - our situation is not easy for that,” Flick said after Barcelona drew 2-2 with Birmingham City, but lost the friendly 3-2 on penalties, on Friday night.

“I appreciate working with him [Rashford]. He is a fantastic player and a fantastic person. The team miss him, I will miss him, but it is life.

“This is what we have to accept.”

Rashford is contracted to Manchester United until 2028 and he posted a goodbye message to Barcelona on his Instagram account this week.

“I’m very grateful to everyone at the club for making my time here such a positive and memorable experience,” he wrote. “I have enjoyed every moment and I will take many special memories with me.

“I wish the club and all of its supporters the very best of luck and every success in the season ahead. Visca el Barca.”

Intensity, smiles & Lewandowski - inside Liverpool training under Iraola

Liverpool finish their pre-season tour of the USA against Leeds on Sunday

As Liverpool’s first open training session under Andoni Iraola began, Robert Lewandowski was taking penalties in the background.

The session took place at the performance centre of Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, where the 37-year-old Pole now plays.

Under gloomy skies, Lewandowski blazed a spot-kick over the bar as Fire’s training session came to an end and Iraola’s got under way.

Here is what we learned from Liverpool’s session.

Earlier this week, a video was posted on social media of Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones - who has been linked with a move to Inter Milan - having a heated argument at the end of Liverpool’s win over Wrexham on Wednesday.

Asked about the situation on Thursday, Szoboszlai played it down, insisting all the players “were in the same boat” in terms of wanting the best for the club and each other.

Regardless, Szoboszlai, Jones and Kostas Tsimikas, who was also in the clip, walked out together in good spirits, doing keepy-uppies and joking with each other right in front of the cameras.

All smiles, to say the least.

The argument was understood to be related to the fact that Szoboszlai had given Tsimikas the captain’s armband instead of Jones but, by Friday, it seemed to have settled.

A little bit of passion is never a bad thing in an elite sporting environment but, with the way footage can be captured from anyone inside a stadium, sometimes it is better to keep things behind closed doors.

It was far from ideal - and it served as a reminder for Iraola that he must appoint a vice-captain soon, with the vacancy open after Andy Robertson’s departure.

Record signing Alexander Isak also returned to Liverpool training this week.

He, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch all missed the trip to New York, where Liverpool beat Wrexham 1-0 in their second pre-season fixture, but are expected to feature on Sunday against Leeds.

Jeremy Jacquet missed training but was in the gym as the club carefully manage his recovery from the shoulder injury he sustained in February.

The centre-back is a doubt for the weekend, despite Iraola suggesting earlier in the week that he would feature.

Joe Gomez, who has been ruled out for the start of the Premier League season, was also in the gym.

Once the warm-ups were done, the intensity in Iraola’s drills was clear to see. He likes to get heavily involved and was particularly animated, using phrases like “play in possession” and “quicker, quicker” repeatedly.

There were celebrations between players whenever they scored in the mini-drills and the atmosphere was generally positive, with Iraola unafraid to step in and point out something, or discuss a player’s position.

The squad then separated, with one group moving on to a smaller pitch for a nine-a-side match while another group worked on set-pieces with Iraola’s assistants, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper.

Wirtz was on corner duty, while Elphick even put on a bib to get involved.

Watching on was Mike Gordon, the Fenway Sports Group president, who is now overseeing Liverpool operations again. He is expected to be at the game on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Liverpool had a team dinner on Thursday evening, with Iraola sharing a beer with the likes of Phil Thompson and Robbie Fowler after.

Thompson told BBC Sport they spoke about a number of things, from the season ahead to their families.

Iraola was not even born when former defender Thompson won the third of his three European Cups for Liverpool. But this was a sign of the new head coach recognising the legends of the club and the weight they still carry.

Iraola still has three weeks before his first Premier League game as Liverpool manager - but the seeds of his tenure are getting planted here in the Windy City.