To open the Andoni Iraola managerial era, Liverpool defeated Sunderland 4-2 at Geodis Park in Nashville. The match gave fans a look at the new approach on Merseyside.
Nineteen-year-old Kieran Morrison struck early to set the pace. Following the break, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, and Lewis Koumas added second-half goals to secure the win. On the opposite sideline, Régis Le Bris managed a Sunderland squad preparing for their upcoming Europa League campaign.
But the match wasn’t without setbacks. After just a 10-minute appearance, defender Joe Gomez left the field with an injury. That early exit forced two teenagers into a central defense partnership, according to a Guardian match report.
Official attendance hit 24,897 within the 30,000-capacity stadium. Ticket prices ranged from $129 to $392. If you expected World Cup regulars, they weren’t there. That absence likely kept the crowd numbers lower than expected for a Premier League exhibition.
Before kickoff, fans from both clubs observed a moment of silence. They then applauded to honor former Liverpool forward Kevin Keegan, who died on July 20 at age 75.
Away from the pitch, front office negotiations are escalating. FSG is currently negotiating to sell a 30% share of the club. Jeff Bezos and Amit Bhatia are driving that £1.35 billion consortium bid.