When could Iraola make Anfield bow? Liverpool pre-season schedule in full after two games added
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Liverpool have announced two pre-season friendlies to be played at Anfield in August, which could see Andoni Iraola take charge of his first couple of home games for the club.The Spaniard has reached a ‘verbal agreement’ to become the Reds’ head coach (David Ornstein), with his appointment expected to be formalised imminently.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYHe was in the away dugout in L4 for the opening night of the 2025/26 Premier League season as his Bournemouth side were beaten 4-2 in an eventful fixture, but he looks set to return there 12 months on as LFC’s newest boss.Liverpool confirm two more pre-season fixturesOn Tuesday, Liverpool confirmed via their official website that they’ll play two pre-season friendlies at home in the fortnight before the start of the 2026/27 top-flight campaign.Monaco will visit Anfield on Sunday 9 August with a 2:30pm kick-off, followed by a fixture against Como at the same venue the following Sunday (16 August) at 6pm.
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)The Reds now have five pre-season matches locked in, with the home double header being preceded by three games in the United States – here’s how the schedule looks in full: Date Opponent Venue Kick-off time (GMT) Saturday 25 July Sunderland Nashville 11pm Thursday 30 July Wrexham New York 12:30am Sunday 2 August Leeds Chicago 9pm Sunday 9 August Monaco Anfield 2:30pm Sunday 16 August Como Anfield 6pm Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustLiverpool’s pre-season will carry added intrigue with new bossThe results of pre-season games might be inconsequential, but wins and good performances would enable Iraola to carry some strong momentum going to the start of competitive action on the weekend of 22/23 August.The friendlies will give the impending new head coach the opportunity to experiment in terms of tactics and team selection, whilst also handing opportunities to academy players – think back to how Rio Ngumoha caught the eye in the Far East last summer.That window could also give any new signings a gentle introduction to life at Liverpool as they adapt to a new tactical setup, and the pre-season matches in July and August will carry extra intrigue with the change in the Reds’ dugout.Iraola is likely to be without several big names for the trip to the U.S. due to players’ World Cup commitments, but he could have a near-full selection for the double header at Anfield, where he can expect a rapturous reception from the home support as they get a first in-person glimpse of the new man in charge.