Liverpool kept their flawless start to the Andoni Iraola era alive by edging past Wrexham 1‑0 in their second friendly ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. After a 2‑0 win over Sunderland in Nashville, the Reds travelled across the Atlantic to Yankee Stadium, where they faced a Wrexham side that had recently upset both Manchester United and Leeds United in their own preparatory matches. The match began with Liverpool forced to reshuffle their back line when Joe Gomez picked up an injury against Sunderland. Stand‑in captain Dominik Szoboszlai was deployed as a centre‑back, a role that saw him quickly become involved in the Reds' most promising chance of the first half.
Szoboszlai delivered a pinpoint pass to Harvey Elliott, who in turn set up Josh Abe for a shot that was comfortably saved by former Liverpool custodian Danny Ward, now guarding Wrexham's goal. The half‑time interval brought a flurry of changes from Iraola, including the introduction of teenage prospect Rio Ngumoha. Ngumoha made an immediate impact, charging into the heart of the Wrexham defence and forcing a scramble that resulted in a deflected strike looping into the net fifteen minutes from the final whistle. That solitary goal proved decisive, giving Liverpool the narrow win.
Wrexham had a chance to level the score late on when striker Kieffer Moore found space inside the box, but his effort was mishit and went wide of the target, allowing the Reds to hold onto their advantage. The victory marked Liverpool's second consecutive win on American soil, underscoring the effectiveness of Iraola's early preparations.
Looking ahead, the squad will head to Chicago for their next exhibition, a showdown with Leeds United scheduled for Sunday. The fixture is expected to feature several high‑profile signings who have been training in the United States following early exits from the World Cup, including German midfielder Florian Wirtz, Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and Swedish forward Alexander Isak. Iraola hinted that these newcomers, along with recent acquisition Jeremy Jacquet, could earn their first minutes of pre‑season action against Leeds. In the post‑match interview, Iraola acknowledged that his side still needed time to fully adapt to his tactical philosophy.
"Overall we were more solid than the other day," he said. "The pitch was narrow and the spaces limited, but we displayed good periods of play. Even though we scored more goals in the previous game, today we were more cohesive as a unit." He added that the team was not yet at the level required for the upcoming season, noting occasional lapses in concentration: "We sometimes arrive too late, but it's a step forward, especially compared with the first half against Sunderland. That half is a better reference point than the second half.
Slowly, I hope each game brings us closer to our target. We are integrating many young players now, and we need to bring in the senior squad members who have been training with us so we can start the season in a strong position." When asked about the likelihood of seeing the big‑name signings on the pitch, Iraola confirmed his intentions: "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 the senior players who have had fewer training sessions.
I think they'll be ready for the weekend to get their first minutes." The upcoming schedule for Liverpool's pre‑season tour includes: - August 2: Liverpool vs Leeds United – Chicago, 9 p.m. - August 9: Liverpool vs Monaco – Anfield, 2.30 p.m. - August 16: Liverpool vs Como – Anfield, 6 p.m. These fixtures will provide further opportunities for the manager to assess his squad, blend the youthful talent with experienced professionals, and fine‑tune the playing style he wishes to implement for the new campaign.
The club's media team also reminded fans to download the Sky Sports app and follow updates via WhatsApp for the latest news, match highlights, and transfer developments. Overall, the win in New York not only extended Liverpool's unbeaten pre‑season record but also offered a glimpse of the tactical adjustments and player rotations that Iraola is experimenting with.
As the team prepares for the next challenge in Chicago, the emphasis will be on building chemistry, sharpening defensive organization, and giving the new signings valuable minutes to adapt to the club's demands. The continued success in these friendlies bodes well for a promising start to the 2026/27 season, provided the squad can maintain the balance between youthful exuberance and seasoned experience that Iraola is striving to achieve.