Liverpool ship four second-half goals to leave Iraola with much to ponder
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On the flight home from Chicago, as he reflects on the 4-2 loss to Leeds that ended Liverpool's United States tour, manager Andoni Iraola will have plenty to think about.The first-half display was arguably the best since he took charge of Liverpool, but the second was categorically their worst as they conceded four times without reply inside 25 minutes.Iraola did make a raft of changes at the break and in the second half but that is no excuse for the way they capitulated against Daniel Farke's side.Their lack of squad depth and physicality was alarmingly exposed and Iraola will be concerned with the ease with which Leeds scored, albeit against an inexperienced backline that finished with Calvin Ramsay, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Kostas Tsimikas.With Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz making their return, Liverpool were excellent in the first half and it is important not to be too critical but perhaps Iraola will be glad in the long-run that he saw this second-half display, where Liverpool's set-piece deficiencies were highlighted too.The intensity Iraola demands on the training pitch was evident in the first half but seemed non-existent after the break. Munoz, who did not play a minute in Spain's successful World Cup campaign, will return earlier to aid his integration into the squad.
Obviously it's not the result you want but I think (it was) probably the most useful friendly we played – in a positive way in the first half and in a negative way in the second half," said Iraola. "I think we've learned a lot and I think we can take good conclusions and solve some things."Even before the second-half troubles, Iraola would have known that there was no time to waste as he plans for the start of the season, his starting 11 reflecting this with Isak and Wirtz in against Leeds - even if the state of the pitch suggested that could be a risk.The inclusion of a pair who cost a combined £225m last summer also gave the teamsheet the star quality befitting the host city of Chicago, home to both the Lollapalooza Festival and Major League Baseball series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.And in what was Liverpool's best half of the tour, Isak looked sharp and Wirtz scored as they suffocated Leeds with their press and moved the ball around with confidence.Their early breakthrough came from an unlikely source.
Luke Chambers spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic but, given Liverpool's centre-half crisis, the left-back moved inside against Wrexham in Liverpool's previous friendly and kept his place. He only played 229 minutes in 2025-26 but Iraola has spoken glowingly about his attributes, not least his confidence on the ball and his desire to go direct.