Liverpool pre-season report: Who has impressed? What have we learned about Andoni Iraola after Sunderland win?

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola begin his career as Reds boss with a 4-1 triumph over Premier League opponents Sunderland on Saturday in Nashville.

That victory admittedly came in a pre-season friendly, but it was important for the Basque man to start strong.

The team that Iraola named featured a number of younger talents, while his changes at half time saw more of the club's senior figures make appearances.

It was not a perfect game from the Merseysiders, and there are areas that must be addressed, but there were plenty of positives to take away from the win.

Here, Sports Mole looks at who impressed for Liverpool, and whether there was anything to take away from the club's win against Sunderland.

Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland: Who impressed for Andoni Iraola?

The clash in Nashville was undoubtedly a game of two halves, with Sunderland troubling the Reds for significant periods before the interval.

Dominik Szoboszlai came on at half time, and with the captain's armband, the 25-year-old scored his side's second and was the best player on the pitch.

After signing a five-year deal to extend his at Anfield until 2031, fans should be excited about the level the Hungarian could reach.

Florian Wirtz may face a tough battle to dislodge Szoboszlai from the starting lineup if he can play at such a high level across 2026-27.

However, Szoboszlai was not the only midfielder to impress on Saturday, as teenager Trey Nyoni demonstrated immense composure on the ball.

The 19-year-old was consistently overlooked by Arne Slot last season despite the consistently poor performances of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.

If Nyoni can handle the intensity required to play in an Iraola system - the Englishman won three of his four duels and two of his three tackles against Sunderland - then there is no reason why he should not play a role next season.

Kieran Morrison started on the right of attack for the Reds, and the 19-year-old managed to score in the 13th minute with a strike that would not have looked out of place had Mohamed Salah been in his position.

The forward is highly regarded, and his attacking qualities as a creator and direct threat could be useful for Iraola, who is known for rewarding young talents with first-team opportunities.

What have we learned about Liverpool and Andoni Iraola in pre-season?

Iraola's system is defined by intensity, but it is fair to say that Liverpool were not at their best out of possession.

However, the intent to press high was evident, and there was a notable improvement when Szoboszlai came onto the pitch to play as a number 10.

Slot was frequently criticised last term for his passive approach without the ball, something that did not fit the identity of Liverpool and its fanbase.

Iraola will naturally expect his players to become more familiar with his demands as pre-season progresses, but Liverpool supporters should be excited about the prospect of intense and direct play returning to Anfield.

Elsewhere, Joe Gomez was forced off with an injury within the first 10 minutes, and his substitution has raised concerns about squad depth.

Liverpool have Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni as options for two centre-back spots, but there are serious doubts about the quartet's ability to last the season.

Van Dijk is 35 and cannot be expected to play at an elite level throughout the campaign, while Jacquet and Leoni are only 21 and 19 respectively.

Add in the fact that Gomez has consistently picked up injuries, and the Reds may face a crisis at the back at some point in 2026-27.

Whether the Merseysiders can afford to bring in extra defensive cover remains to be seen, and they may instead have to rely on the likes of Mor Talla Ndiaye.