Andoni Iraola began his reported Liverpool reign with a 4-2 preseason win over Sunderland in Nashville, opening the club's summer schedule in the United States on a positive note. The result offered an early glimpse of how his team is shaping up, but it also appeared to underline that more work may still be needed in the transfer market.
The main theme emerging from the opening friendly is that one area of the squad has seemingly become a fresh priority. After seeing his side in live action for the first time, Iraola is now being linked with a stronger push for further reinforcement before the new campaign gathers pace.
Preseason matches often bring quick conclusions about balance, depth and which roles may still need attention. Even in a winning performance, coaches can come away feeling that a new addition is required, and that appears to be the case here after Liverpool's first outing of the USA tour.
For Liverpool, the Sunderland game was useful not only for the scoreline but also for clarifying the next steps in squad planning. With Iraola's first match now in the books, attention is already shifting from the Nashville result to what the club may do next in the transfer window.
