Iraola's Liverpool debut in friendly vs Sunderland

Liverpool will begin a new era under manager Andoni Iraola on Saturday, July 25, 2026, facing Sunderland in a preseason friendly at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The 11 p.m. BST kickoff marks the Spaniard's first match in charge since his appointment earlier this summer as the permanent replacement for Arne Slot.

Iraola, who joined from Bournemouth, takes over a squad in significant transition following a fifth-place Premier League finish last season. Key veterans Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson departed as free agents, while defender Ibrahima Konate joined Real Madrid. New signings include defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, who is in line to make his debut, and attacker Victor Munoz from Osasuna.

Both teams will field heavily rotated lineups, with fitness and avoiding injuries taking precedence. Liverpool will be without several senior players due to post-World Cup rest and injuries. Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Cody Gakpo began their preseason at the club's training ground, while Ryan Gravenberch, Alexander Isak, and Florian Wirtz are set to join the touring squad after the match. Long-term absentees Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, and Giovanni Leoni remain...