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Liverpool dealt fresh defensive setback as Gomez sustains injury in pre-season
26th July, 2026 01:50 PM
Liverpool’s first match under new head coach Andoni Iraola ended in a lively 4-2 pre-season victory over Sunderland at GEODIS Park in Nashville on Sunday, July 26, 2026, but the result was overshadowed by another injury concern in defence.
Although the Reds produced an encouraging display to begin the new era, Joe Gomez was forced to leave the pitch just eight minutes into the contest, leaving Iraola disappointed by the latest setback.
After the final whistle, the Liverpool boss described Gomez’s injury as the “worst news” from the evening.
The England defender has battled recurring fitness issues in recent seasons. While he featured 21 times in the Premier League last campaign, most of those appearances came as a substitute.
Jacquet also unavailable
Liverpool were also without summer signing Jeremy Jacquet, who completed a £55 million move from Rennes earlier in the transfer window. The French defender was removed from the matchday squad shortly before kickoff as a precaution.
Jacquet spent the latter part of last season sidelined with a shoulder problem, though the club expects him to return before the conclusion of Liverpool’s pre-season tour in the United States.
Reflecting on the situation, Iraola said: “Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe. We were happy because we were going through training without losing any players and unluckily for us we’ve lost Joe straight away.”
Following Gomez’s exit, Ifeanyi Ndukwe stepped in and delivered an impressive performance alongside Mor Talla Ndiaye. Calum Scanlon, Kieran Morrison and Lewis Koumas also produced encouraging displays during the friendly.
Defence remains an area of concern
Liverpool’s defensive depth has already been weakened following Ibrahima Konate’s summer move to Real Madrid, a situation Iraola has previously acknowledged.
Captain Virgil van Dijk is due to resume pre-season preparations next week. However, he will not travel to the United States with the squad and will instead continue his fitness programme at the AXA Training Centre.
When available, Gomez remains an important member of the squad because of his versatility across the defensive line. However, his repeated injury setbacks continue to raise concerns, and Liverpool could weigh up offers for the defender if the right bid is received.
With the club already pursuing another wide attacker, reinforcing central defence is also expected to be a major priority before the transfer window closes. Failure to strengthen at the back could leave supporters increasingly frustrated as the new season approaches.
