After a sluggish first half, Liverpool turned in a dominating performance in the second 45 minutes to defeat a scrappy Sunderland side 4-2 on July 25th in Nashville, Tennessee. Below are the player ratings for the Starting XI. Due to the numerous subs, they will not be receiving player ratings at this time, but many played a huge role in the match.
- Mamardashvili (6/10): Some big moments. The back line was the issue, not the goalie as much
- Frimpong (5/10): I know it’s the first game of the preseason, but with the talent Frimpong has, I would have expected better.
- Gomez (5/10): He came off too early due to an injury to make an impact
- Ndayie (4/10): Beaten several times. But this is what the tour is for, to get some minutes in the legs and improve before the season starts
- Tsimikas (5/10): My favorite player. Wish he had done a bit better
- McConnell (7/10): Young player bidding for more playing time. Did nothing to hurt his chances.
- Jones (6/10): Veteran presence steadied the team in rocky moments
- Elliott (8/10): Beautiful assist. It’s good to have him back from loan
- Ngumoha (5/10): Some good moments on the wing, but lacked the finishing touch
- Wright (6/10): Not a bad game, but nothing stood out
- Morrison (7/10): Great goal by the youngster
Man of the Match
- Szoboszlai
The Manager
- Andoni Iraola (7/10): Not bad for his first go-round as the Liverpool boss. The second half team was much stronger, and I look for them to get more minutes as the EPL season approaches.
LFC Globe Verdict
This was a fun game to watch in person. This is the third time I have seen the Reds’ US tour live: 2014 vs Dortmund, 2024 vs. Manchester United, and today vs. Sunderland. While it wasn’t as dominating as the 3-0 win vs. Man United that set the tone for the EPL championship season, this was still an impressive victory. Young players made defensive mistakes, but those can be corrected. Overall, it was a very positive start to the season.
Have Your Say
What were your thoughts on Liverpool’s season-opening win? What did they do well? What needs improving? Drop a comment below.