Liverpool's first game under Andoni Iraola ended 4-2 against Sunderland, but the Reds' defensive fragility was exposed when Joe Gomez went down with an injury after just eight minutes. With only four weeks until the Premier League opener, the loss of their senior centre‑back left the squad scrambling.

Jacquet was ruled out before kickoff, and the only other experienced option was the 29‑year‑old. The match was therefore anchored by teenage duo Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, highlighting the thinness of the back line that had cost the club in the previous season.

Iraola said the return of captain Virgil van Dijk – who missed the U.S. tour – will soon bolster the defence, and the club has already signed promising young centre‑backs like Giovanni Leoni. The departure of Ibrahima Konaté to Real Madrid last month left a void that could widen if Gomez’s injury proves serious.

Despite the defensive woes, the team showed promise up front with Kieran Morrison, Lewis Koumas and Harvey Elliott, and the arrival of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch gives Iraola new options. He hopes the summer transfer window will fill the gaps and restore Liverpool’s European ambitions.