Iraola faces tough questions after Liverpool’s US tour collapse

On the flight home from Chicago, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola reflected on the 4-2 loss to Leeds that ended their United States pre‑season tour, a defeat that highlighted a stark contrast between a strong first half and a collapse in the second.

The first‑half display was arguably the best since the Spaniard took charge, with Liverpool showing intensity and pressing that matched the expectations of a manager who arrived from Spain. Dominik Szoboszlai, who contributed to the early pressure, later noted the side’s composure in the opening period.

Four quick goals in the second half sealed Liverpool's 4-2 defeat, as Leeds scored four times without reply inside 25 minutes. The sudden loss of momentum turned the match into Liverpool's worst half of the tour, underscoring the vulnerability exposed by the opposition.

Iraola did make a raft of changes at the break, swapping personnel in an attempt to revive the performance, but the adjustments did not prevent the capitulation. "We conceded two goals from set‑pieces. We have to fix that and make sure we deal with them better," said midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, highlighting the set‑piece deficiencies that plagued the second half.

The lack of squad depth and physicality was alarmingly exposed, with Leeds exploiting an inexperienced backline that featured Calvin Ramsay, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye. Their ease of scoring raised concerns about Liverpool’s defensive robustness ahead of the competitive season.

Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz made their return in the first half, providing the star quality befitting the host city of Chicago, where the match took place at Atat Soldier Field in ChicagoPublished33 minutes ago. Their combined £225m cost from the previous summer added a high‑profile edge to the line‑up, and Isak looked sharp while Wirtz scored, suffocating Leeds with Liverpool’s press.

"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," Iraola said earlier in the week, reflecting the pressure of transfer decisions during the pre‑season.

In the coming days Iraola will meet Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alisson Becker and new signing Victor Munoz at the AXA Training Centre. The only first‑team player he has yet to meet is Alexis Mac Allister, who is on extra time off after Argentina’s run to the World Cup final.

Over the fortnight in America, Liverpool had no incomings, a decision that Iraola explained was driven by his desire to assess the squad before making moves. What he observed in the defeat will shape those forthcoming decisions as the club prepares for the new season.

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Liverpool leave their USA pre‑season tour with two wins and one defeat.