(Video) Pick that out! Trademark Szoboszlai thunderbolt draws Liverpool level v Sunderland

Dominik Szoboszlai is no stranger to stunning goals, and he added yet another to his stellar back catalogue in Liverpool’s pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville.

The Hungarian netted memorable long-range free kicks against Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield last term, and this time he let fly from open play to equalise in the 56th minute.

Szoboszlai scores stunning equaliser for Liverpool

Shortly after falling 2-1 behind to the Black Cats, the Reds restored parity as Lewis Koumas and Milos Kerkez worked excellently to create danger that Regis Le Bris’ side only half-cleared into the path of our number 8.

Szoboszlai then crashed an unstoppable volley from 25 yards out into the Sunderland net, equalising in some style in a frenetic start to the second half.

Image via @advmode on X

Szoboszlai underlines his importance to Liverpool yet again

The 25-year-old was, by common consensus, Liverpool’s best player in a horrific 2025/26 season for the club, and his recent decision to sign a new long-term contract at Anfield is massive for the Reds.

The midfielder assumed the captain’s armband from stand-in skipper Kostas Tsimikas after coming on at half-time, and he soon backed up Andoni Iraola’s assertion from this week that he leads by example.

While many of our regular starters haven’t yet linked up with the squad because of their World Cup involvement, Szoboszlai was available from the start due to Hungary missing out on the finals, and the head coach will no doubt be glad to have our number 8 involved in the early stages of pre-season when so many other senior pros are still having time off.

The vice-captaincy is up for grabs after Andy Robertson’s exit at the end of last term, and the Hungarian has done his case for the role no harm whatsoever with his exquisite finish against Sunderland.

The 25-year-old looks set to be one of Liverpool’s most crucial players throughout Iraola’s first season in charge at Anfield.

You can view Szoboszlai’s goal against Sunderland below, taken from Sport TV 1’s match coverage and shared via @advmode on X:

Szoboszlai what a bangerrrr pic.twitter.com/T5cfwKl9kQ

— Adam (@advmode) July 25, 2026

The post (Video) Pick that out! Trademark Szoboszlai thunderbolt draws Liverpool level v Sunderland appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

from The Empire of The Kop

Liverpool player ratings as Kieran Morrison and two others 8/10 in Sunderland win

Player ratings from GEODIS Park as Liverpool kick off their pre-season schedule against Sunderland

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-player-ratings-sunderland-breaking-34353091

(Video) Kieran Morrison caps ‘lovely’ Liverpool counterattack to open the scoring v Sunderland

Kieran Morrison is among the Liverpool youngsters who’ll be striving to impress Andoni Iraola in pre-season, and it didn’t take the winger long to make his mark in the Reds’ first friendly of the summer.

The 19-year-old – who signed a long-term contract extension at Anfield two months ago – started on the right flank for LFC against Sunderland in Nashville, and he opened the scoring for his team inside the opening quarter-hour (which also saw Joe Gomez going off with a worrying injury).

Morrison fired Liverpool into an early lead

In the 13th minute at Geodis Park, the Merseysiders sprung a lively counterattack as they worked the ball cleverly out from defence, with Rio Ngumoha releasing Harvey Elliott in the middle of the park.

Liverpool’s number 19 charged forward before laying the ball off to Morrison just outside the Black Cats’ penalty area, and the Northern Ireland international cut in from the right flank before arrowing a neat finish into the far corner of the Wearsiders’ net for the opening goal.

Enzo Le Fee later equalised for Sunderland with an emphatic finish from distance to ensure that the teams would go in at half-time level at 1-1.

Image via @LFC on X

Morrison making the most of his opportunity in pre-season

With just two official senior appearances to his name so far, Morrison is highly unlikely to be viewed as the immediate right-sided replacement for Mo Salah in the Reds’ attack, despite that being his natural position.

However, in terms of making an impression on Iraola and staking a case for inclusion throughout the campaign, the youngster couldn’t have chosen a better way to go about it, finishing neatly less than 15 minutes into our first pre-season friendly.

The head coach will have been delighted with the intricate football in the lead-up to Morrison’s goal, with Lewis Steele lauding a ‘nice move’ and ‘lovely finish’ (via X) – less so with how nobody put pressure on Le Fee for Sunderland’s equaliser.

The opening 45 minutes will have provided the Basque with some valuable food for thought as he makes his first tentative steps into matchday as the man in charge of Liverpool.

You can view Morrison’s goal against Sunderland below, via @LFC on X:

A smart finish from Kieran

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 25, 2026

The post (Video) Kieran Morrison caps ‘lovely’ Liverpool counterattack to open the scoring v Sunderland appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

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Andoni Iraola will be banging on FSG’s door on Sunday after instant pre-season Liverpool setback

Liverpool were dealt an early setback in their first pre-season friendly on their tour of the United States, with Joe Gomez going off injured inside the opening 10 minutes against Sunderland.

The Reds’ longest-serving current player was selected as captain for the game in Nashville, partnering youngster Mor Talla Ndiaye at centre-back, but his evening’s work was over almost as soon as it started.

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Gomez suffers early injury blow for Liverpool

There were only eight minutes on the clock when the 29-year-old went to ground and required treatment, and it was instantly apparent that he wouldn’t be able to continue.

(Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

Although Gomez picked himself up from the turf, he walked straight off the pitch as Andoni Iraola took no chances by substituting him to bring on Ifeanyi Ndukwe, with Kostas Tsimikas assuming the captain’s armband.

As Lewis Steele observed on X, the sight of Liverpool’s number 2 sitting on the ground was one that no Reds supporter wanted to see, adding: ‘The need for a defender gets even bigger’.

The sight no #LFC fan wanted to see: Joe Gomez is injured.

The need for a defender gets even bigger. pic.twitter.com/4TZNXjauIc

— Lewis Steele (@LewisSteele_) July 25, 2026

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Liverpool MUST buy another defender this summer – no excuses

Iraola put his cards on the table straight away in his introductory press conference earlier this month when openly stating that more signings are needed at Anfield this summer, and his pleas to FSG are se to grow even louder on Sunday once tonight’s match is out of the way.

Liverpool had suffered another defensive injury blow before kick-off when it emerged that new arrival Jeremy Jacquet wold miss the Sunderland match due to a minor knock, although it’s expected that he’ll resume training during the tour to the USA (Liverpool Echo).

We haven’t even reached half-time in the first pre-season friendly of the summer and the Reds have already had injuries to two centre-backs, while Virgil van Dijk is yet to return to the fold after his World Cup involvement with Netherlands, and Giovanni Leoni is continuing his recovery from an ACL rupture.

Matches such as this may well be the perfect setting in which to try out young players and assess how they perform at first-team level, but the presence of Ndiaye and Ndukwe as our centre-back partnership after just a few minutes in Nashville lays bare the dearth of options available to Iraola.

Hopefully the knock which forced Gomez off tonight isn’t serious and he’ll soon be able to resume playing. Nevertheless, the need for defensive reinforcements in the remaining weeks of the transfer window must now be screaming at FSG in the face.

The post Andoni Iraola will be banging on FSG’s door on Sunday after instant pre-season Liverpool setback appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

from The Empire of The Kop

Liverpool latest: Maghnes Akliouche's contract agreement as Andoni Iraola confirms decision

Andoni Iraola has explained a key decision of his Liverpool career

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Imminent £241m Liverpool arrivals could be about to really kickstart Andoni Iraola era

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Liverpool striker shares brilliant reaction after 'amazing' Andoni Iraola decision

Promising young striker Josh Sonni-Lambie has been speaking after he was called into Liverpool's initial 31-man squad for their American tour

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Managing Liverpool as Rayan signing secured and four stars are ousted by Andoni Iraola

The Andoni Iraola era at Liverpool is upon us and there could yet be a major squad shake-up at Anfield

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-transfers-rayan-andoni-iraola-34332096

Liverpool transfer state of play as two more deals done and one nears

The summer transfer window is now very much upon us and Liverpool are continuing to do a fair amount of business in the market

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-transfer-state-play-two-34338877

Liverpool could raise £215m with huge sales this summer as more homegrown stars eye exit

Liverpool's transfer prospects may rest on several significant sales if they wish to in any way mimic their eye-watering expense of 2025 this summer

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-transfer-news-jones-gakpo-34325018

'Andoni Iraola has been turning heads - but don't compare Liverpool boss to Xabi Alonso'

Former Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes on Andoni Iraola's appointment as the new head coach at Anfield

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Liverpool have given Andoni Iraola something they've not had in 15 years

Liverpool are going into the 2026/27 with a new manager in the form of Andoni Iraola and another rare boost

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Bradley Barcola transfer saga develops as Liverpool could battle rivals for France star

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Liverpool midfielder sent transfer message as Man United comparison made - 'we had no idea'

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has been a transfer target for a number of clubs this summer

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Premier League rule means Liverpool can only make one more specific signing

Liverpool could find themselves with little room to move in the transfer window this summer

source https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-transfer-window-home-grown-34319605