Liverpool kept their flawless start to the Andoni Iraola era by edging out Wrexham 1‑0 in their second friendly of the 2026/27 pre‑season campaign. The win followed a 2‑0 triumph over Sunderland in Nashville, and the Reds travelled across the Atlantic to Yankee Stadium for a challenging encounter against a side that had recently upset both Manchester United and Leeds United. The match began with Liverpool forced to reshuffle their back line after Joe Gomez suffered an injury in the Sunderland game.
Stand‑in captain Dominik Szoboszlai dropped into a centre‑back role, a position he handled with composure despite the unusual assignment. Early on, Szoboszlai was still instrumental in Liverpool’s attacking play, delivering a precise pass to Harvey Elliott.
Elliott, in turn, set up Josh Abe for a close‑range effort that was comfortably saved by former Liverpool custodian Danny Ward, who now guards Wrexham’s goal. The first half was tightly contested, with both sides creating limited chances on a relatively narrow pitch that restricted the amount of space available.
Iraola, keen to assess his squad’s adaptability, made four substitutions at the interval, one of which introduced teenage prospect Rio Ngumoha. Ngumoha, a dynamic forward known for his pace and directness, immediately made an impact. He repeatedly forced the Wrexham defence to commit, and his persistence paid off in the 75th minute when a powerful drive was partially deflected and looped into the net, providing the only goal of the evening.
Wrexham’s striker Kieffer Moore had a fleeting opportunity to equalise in the closing stages, but his attempt from close range went wide, allowing Liverpool to preserve their lead. The Reds’ defensive unit, despite the earlier reshuffle, held firm and secured a second consecutive victory on American soil. Following the win, the Liverpool squad will head to Chicago for their final U.S. friendly, a clash against Leeds United scheduled for Sunday.
That match is expected to feature a number of high‑profile signings who have yet to feature in pre‑season action, including German midfielder Florian Wirtz, Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and Swedish forward Alexander Isak. All three players have been training in Chicago after early exits from the World Cup, and they will be joined by fellow new signing Jeremy Jacquet.
In the post‑match press conference, Iraola was candid about the progress his team is making. He praised the collective effort, noting that the side appeared more cohesive and defensively solid compared to the previous game in Nashville.
"We were more solid overall than the other day," he said. "The pitch was narrow and the spaces limited, but we managed good spells of play. Even though we scored more goals in the last match, today we functioned more as a unit." Iraola also acknowledged that the squad still has work to do to fully embody his tactical philosophy.
He admitted that the team sometimes arrives late in transitions, but highlighted the improvement shown in the first half against Sunderland as a positive reference point. "We are not there yet," he added. "We sometimes arrive too late, but it’s a step forward, especially when you compare it with the first half against Sunderland." Looking ahead, Iraola emphasized the gradual integration of senior players who have had fewer training sessions with the group. He explained that the upcoming fixtures will serve as a platform to blend the younger talent with the more experienced members, ensuring the squad is ready for the start of the Premier League season.
"We need to add the senior players who are just starting to train with us, so we can arrive at the beginning of the season in a good place," he said. When asked whether fans could expect to see the new signings and Jacquet in action against Leeds, Iraola confirmed that they would indeed get minutes on the pitch. "My idea is for Ryan, for Florian, for Alex, and even Jacquet to have their first minutes against Leeds.
We'll see how many minutes they can play, but we have to start slowly integrating more of the senior players that have had fewer training sessions," he explained. The itinerary for Liverpool’s pre‑season continues with the following fixtures: August 2 – Liverpool vs Leeds United in Chicago at 9 pm; August 9 – Liverpool vs Monaco at Anfield, kickoff 2.30 pm; and August 16 – Liverpool vs Como at Anfield, kickoff 6 pm. These matches will provide further opportunities for the manager to fine‑tune his squad, test tactical variations, and give the new arrivals a chance to adapt to English football.
Overall, the victory over Wrexham not only extended Liverpool’s unbeaten run in the United States but also offered valuable insights into the team’s evolving chemistry under Iraola. The blend of youthful exuberance, represented by players like Ngumoha, and the experience of seasoned professionals is beginning to coalesce, laying a promising foundation for the upcoming season.