On August 2nd, Liverpool lost 2-4 to Leeds United in a pre-season friendly, conceding 4 goals in 25 minutes. A TA reporter analyzed several key takeaways from the match.

Liverpool need defensive reinforcements, and quickly.

With only three weeks until the start of the Premier League season, Liverpool still have a lot of transfer business to do.

The team is still pursuing French winger Barcola, and if a transfer fee can be agreed with PSG, he would essentially replace Salah. Barcola would be an exciting signing, but at the other end of the pitch, Liverpool's need for defensive reinforcements is more urgent.

For this trip, Iraola could rely only on teenage center-backs Ifeanyi-Ndukawe and Tara Ndiaye. Left-back Luke Chambers was also pushed into a central role.

Captain Van Dijk was absent following the World Cup, Joe Gomez strained a muscle during his first friendly in Nashville, and new signing Jacquet was not risked in the USA after feeling unwell in training. Leoni and Conor Bradley are still recovering from long-term injuries.

In this situation, the youngsters performed quite well, especially Chambers, who came through the academy and spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic.

However, Liverpool's complete collapse in the second half in Chicago clearly exposed the team's need to strengthen at centre-back and right-back. Their squad depth is clearly insufficient for the challenges ahead.

Leeds United scored 4 goals in 25 minutes, making the outcome all but certain. After Aaronson pulled one back, Liverpool's defense was completely torn apart and could not stop the decline.

Under Slot last season, Liverpool's defending of set pieces was a clear weakness, and the problem still persists, especially when dealing with long throw-ins. Calvert-Lewin was unmarked at the far post and scored easily after Rondon's Flick-on, while Tsimikas stood watching.

After Sean Longstaff made it 3-2, Calvert-Lewin scored his second goal in familiar fashion, and Liverpool were once again undone by long throw-ins.

It left most of the 49,128 spectators frustrated, as Liverpool produced both their best and worst halves of the pre-season.

Did the performances of Isak and Wirtz offer positive signs?

Neither Alexander Isak nor Wirtz lived up to their high transfer fees last season.

Isak, who joined Newcastle for a British-record £125 million, has been plagued by fitness issues, scoring only four goals in 22 appearances across all competitions, 13 of which were starts.

Wirtz, who joined from Leverkusen for €116 million, also showed flashes of brilliance but lacked consistency, contributing just 7 goals and 8 assists in 49 games, 40 of which were starts.

Getting them to realise their potential at Anfield will be key to Iraola's success later on. The team's new phase will also revolve around them.

This was also the duo's first pre-season appearance, as they only reported back to the team a week ago. The signs on the field were very positive.

Isak led the line, with Wirtz in his preferred number 10 role. They not only worked well off the ball but also helped the team establish dominance in possession during the first half.

Swedish forward Isak occasionally dropped deep to link up cleverly with Wirtz, who surged forward behind him. Wirtz then delivered a penetrating through ball to Rio Ngumoha, but his effort was blocked by Rondon.

Isak also combined with Frimpong to create the corner from which Chambers scored to give Liverpool the lead. 30 minutes later, Wirtz finished off a beautiful team move to extend the lead.

The attack started with Isak passing the ball to him on the wing. Wirtz then played it back to Nioni, who delivered a perfectly weighted cross to the far post. Frimpong delicately cushioned the ball, and Wirtz coolly finished.

Given how events unfolded, neither Isak nor Wirtz played in the second half. Both had made a good start.

How have Leeds United become stronger?

Leeds United looked somewhat chaotic in the first half but were completely transformed in the second. Daniel Farke made four substitutions at once, replacing Tanaka, Stach, Daniel James, and Nmecha with Sean Longstaff, Harry Wilson, Aaronson, and Calvert-Lewin.

The change was not immediate, but Leeds United gradually grew into the game and quickly took complete control in the second half. Ironically, the foundation of their performance remained consistent throughout the full 90 minutes.

Ampadu's long throw-ins were one of the team's key weapons last season, but they have not been common on this US tour. In Chicago, they started appearing from the 2nd minute.

Time and again, Leeds United players were able to win the first ball from these "cannonball" throws, but it was not until the second half that they truly capitalized on the crucial second balls. Leeds United's second and fourth goals were both scored by Calvert-Lewin after Flick-ons from Rondon and Bornauw.

This is also why Leeds United are looking for physically strong players across the squad, especially at center-back. Tariq Muharemović, a 1.91m-tall center-back signed for £34.1 million last month, also won many first balls from these long throws.

Even without considering long throw-ins, this Leeds United team closely resembles the side from last season that lost only 5 of its final 25 Premier League games. Rondon, on the right side of the back three, also pushed forward to support the attack.

Ampadu was solid and strong in midfield, sweeping up at the right moments. Longstaff continued his excellent form from this training camp, showing strong impact and aggression.

When Boga and James Justin played as wing-backs, they drifted centrally into the channels, supporting Calvert-Lewin like number 10s at the right moments. Wilson also showed flair, linking up well with the number 9 for the first time.

Aaronson's active running and intricate link-up play combined with Calvert-Lewin's intelligent connection of the entire attacking system. The opponent wasn't Liverpool's strongest lineup, but Leeds United's response to a poor first half was still commendable.

Gudmundsson causes concern for Leeds United

Leeds United's top priority in pre-season was almost certainly to keep the entire squad healthy throughout summer training, so Gabriel Gudmundsson's situation in the first half caused some concern.

The Swedish international returned to the Leeds United training camp later than his teammates after reaching the last 32 of the World Cup. However, he limped off in the 35th minute of the friendly.

Early in the game, the 27-year-old wing-back contested a bouncing ball on the edge of the Liverpool box and landed heavily on his back. He received treatment, rubbed the back of his head, and appeared to have taken a dull blow.

He continued to play, but in the 33rd minute, he sat down off the ball awaiting treatment, appearing to hold the back of his right thigh. He was then replaced by Bornauw and, although able to walk off the field himself, was clearly uncomfortable.

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