Liverpool's winning start under new manager Andoni Iraola was marred by an early injury to Joe Gomez in their 4-2 victory over Sunderland in the USA.
Gomez, who started as centre-back and captain, went down in the eighth minute and was replaced, dealing a blow to Iraola's defensive options.
Iraola acknowledged that losing Gomez was a major setback, as the squad is already thin in the centre-back department due to Virgil van Dijk's extended break following the Netherlands' World Cup campaign. Two teenage centre-backs, Mor Talla N'diaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, were called upon to replace Gomez and performed admirably, but Iraola will be concerned about the lack of experienced defenders.
The match itself was a positive start for Iraola, with goals from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, and Lewis Koumas securing the win. Szoboszlai, wearing the armband after coming on at half-time, scored a stunning goal from outside the box to level the game at 2-2.
The victory was a welcome boost for the team, but Iraola will be keen to strengthen his defensive options before the new season. The Reds are already aware of the importance of addressing their centre-back concerns, and the injury to Gomez only serves to highlight the issue.