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Andoni Iraola acknowledged that his team have plenty of work to do after Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat by Monaco at Anfield - Jason Cairnduff/Action Images via Reuters
Liverpool 2 Monaco 3
For the second time in a week Liverpool squandered a two-goal lead to lose a pre-season friendly. In Andoni Iraola’s first game at Anfield, Monaco fought back to win 3-2 by virtue of Paris Brunner’s late glancing header seven days on from Leeds United’s 4-2 victory in Chicago, emphasising Liverpool’s alarming lack of depth, particularly in defence.
Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo all made their first appearances and contributed to a lively first-half in which Iraola’s commitment to man-to-man marking and an intensive pressing structure were evident out of possession. With the ball in the first half they demonstrated the kind of slick passing that Bournemouth employed to carve opponents open on the counter-attack.
A nimble one-two between Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai allowed the Dutch midfielder to set up Alexander Isak to score with a shot from 16 yards and the most expensive player in English football history laid claim to the second, too, when he seemed to hook in a rebound from Lukas Hradecky’s save while lying in the six-yard box.
Later he would graciously acknowledge that he and Florian Wirtz had connected with the ball simultaneously and he was happy to yield the credit to his team-mate.
At that point it seemed that victory would be a cakewalk but just before half-time Aleksandr Golovin caught Van Dijk out with a feint and late swerve to the right, tripping over the Liverpool captain’s clumsy hack. Despite a heavy limp, Golovin hammered the penalty past Alisson’s dive to make it 2-1 at the break.
Iraola rationed his early changes at the start of the second half to two but Liverpool could not regain their rhythm and Mika Biereth capitalised on a Gravenberch error to score the equaliser after battling to be first to the rebound when Giorgi Mamardashvili saved his first effort, stroking his effort through Wataru Endo’s legs.
Cue five substitutions as soon as that goal had gone in and a raft more followed, killing the remaining half-hour of all momentum and cohesion. By the time Brunner exploited a dozy mix-up between Milos Kerkez and Federico Chiesa about whose responsibility he was at a corner to flash his header past Mamardashvili, only two of the 22 starters were still on the pitch.
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Paris Brunner turns in Monaco’s winner - DARREN STAPLES/AFP
“We can’t sustain that level we want to have. We have work to do,” Iraola said at full time. The evidence of the first half was testament to the high ceiling his tactics can achieve but the head coach needs his recruitment team to work just as hard on reinforcements at the back to ensure the shambolic second-half defending and vulnerability at set-pieces does not bite them for a second season in succession.
04:21pm
Liverpool squander two-goal lead again
They played well in the first half, as they did against Leeds, but lost all shape and structure in the second half to lose 3-2.
04:20pm
90 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 3
Yellow card for Konate for clattering into Endo late. That’s the last of the action.
04:18pm
GOAL!
Liverpool 2 Monaco 3 (Brunner) Brilliant near-post glancing header from a devilishly whippy, dipping corner. Kerkez doing his best Rip van Winkle impression.
04:17pm
87 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Monaco corner on the right.
04:16pm
85 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Diligent defensive work by Ngumoha stops Konate’s run down the outside left.
04:13pm
83 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
A final substitution, hopefully. Brunner replaces Biereth. Konate’s shot, a pearoller, is easily saved by Mamardashvili after A mix-up between Kerkez and Munoz.
04:12pm
81 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
As usual, the substitutions have killed the game. Watched Leeds vs RB Leipzig yesterday. They played two 60 minute matches which kept it more competitive for longer but still descended into a kickabout late on.
04:09pm
79 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Mawissa, Kehrer, Idumbo and Soubeir have replaced Nazinho, Dier, Golovin and Cabral.
04:07pm
77 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Monaco also made changes, four I think. Will catch up with then once they’re confirmed. Ramsey is into the game straight away tp stop Coulibaly’s shot.
04:05pm
76 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Ramsay, Chiesa and Elliott are coming on for Szoboszlai, Frimpong and Koumas. Lovely applause for Elliott.
04:04pm
74 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
More mass changes ahoy.
04:04pm
71 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Konate sweeps a left-foot shot from the left of the box past the right post with Mamardashvili forced into a headlong dive. Liverpool have lost their defensive shape and intensity, allowing Monaco to punch holes through the lines with some direct running.
04:01pm
67 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Nazinho gets round Frimpong down the Monaco left and cuts back the perfect pass to put it on a plate for Coulibaly who hammers a left-foot shot from the right of the D that Mamardashvili throws up his hands to block. That would have stung. Good save. A flag would have meant it wouldn’t have counted but even so Frimpong’s defensive work wasn’t good enough.
03:56pm
65 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
It’s been very scrappy since the changes but then Ngumoha pounces on to a loose ball, glides up the right and tries to play Koumas in behind the back four. Sadly, he overhits the pass which trickles out for a goal-kick. Cue an ovation and cries of ‘Rio! Rio!’
03:54pm
63 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Three changes for Monaco with Detoubet, Abline and Camara departing for Benzhara, Coulibaly and Konaté.
03:51pm
61 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Ngumoha has gone to the right wing and Koumas is playing through the middle as a false nine.
03:50pm
59 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 2
Liverpool make five changes with Gakpo, Van Dijk, Wirtz, Tsimikas and Isak departing while Munoz makes his ‘debut’ with Ngumoha, Nyoni, Chambers, McConell and Kerkez.
03:47pmKey moments • Goals • Pictures
GOAL!
Liverpool 2 Monaco 2 (Biereth) Mistake by Gravenberch allows Golovin to play a pass into the left half of the box for Biereth. His first shot is well saved by Mamardashvili at full stretch but his tenacity allowed him to get to the rebound ahead of Endo, swivel and stick his second effort in to equalise.
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Biereth is rewarded for his tenacity and scores - DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images
03:45pm
55 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Monaco overplay at the edge of the box, Detourbet, Biereth and Abline playing ‘after you. Claud’, instead of shooting.
03:44pm
53 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
A slick, short passing move between Gravenberch, Wirtz and Isak ends with Isak on the deck in the box after Gravenberch’s step-over allowed the ball to run to him. Isak took a touch to move the ball on to his left but gave the defender a glimmer of it and he hacked it away before felling Isak as well as collateral damage.
03:41pm
51 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Quiet start to the half. Biereth just pressed Mamardashvili but the keeper managed to sweep the ball away even though under more pressure than he would have expected.
03:39pm
49 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Liverpool try to play out from the back with Mamardashvili spearing a straight pass to Gravenberch who tried to knock it round the corner for Endo but the ball skidded under his studs and out for a throw-in.
Isak is apparently claiming both goals. Replays are indistinct. He could have clipped it in off his heel as he had a swing at the ball while grounded at the same time as Wirtz.
03:37pm
47 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Endo has slotted in at centre-back alongside Van Dijk.
03:36pm
46 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Half-time changes: Mamardashvili for Alisson and Endo for Ndukwe.
For Monaco, Teze for Vanderson at right-back.
03:21pm
Half-time: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Much to admire in that first-half performance from Liverpool’s front six and centre-backs, the latter two particularly out of possession and winning it back. The man-to-man system is working well for them. But they should be out of sight by now instead of leading by only a goal.
03:19pm
45 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Liverpool free-kick on the right after a foul on Koumas. Szoboszlai whips in the cross and Van Dijk gets up first to the left of the penalty spot but bludgeons his header about a foot wide of the right post.
03:18pm
44 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 1
Charlie Adam says the penalty was ‘a soft one’ but Van Dijk did not adjust when Golovin shifted it to his right, stuck out a leg and Golovim understandably decided to topple over the hurdle.
03:17pmPictures • Key moments • Goals
GOAL!
Liverpool 2 Monaco 1 (Golovin, pen) Speared it into the top right. Alisson went the right way but was beaten for pace and power.
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Golovin converts from the spot - Peter Byrne/PA
03:16pm
42 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 0
The referee, Jarred Gillett, gives Monaco a penalty. It was deserved, too. Golovin went on a driving run down the middle, shifted it to his right and was tripped by Van Dijk.
03:14pm
40 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 0
Liverpool are well worth their lead. They are streets ahead of Monaco.
03:14pm
38 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 0
A microcosm of the game so far: Liverpool pass goes astray, a player wins it back – this time Gakpo – by snapping into a tackle before laying it off to his left for the unmarked Tsimikas to skim a low shot about a foot wide of the left post from 25 yards.
03:10pm
35 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 0
Monaco have done very little since that wee salvo in the opening minute but just now Abline was given too much space from distance but whacked his shot into the Kop.
03:09pm
33 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 0
Big cheer from the crowd for Hugo Ekitike
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Hugo Ekitike is out until next year with his knee injury - DARREN STAPLES/AFP
03:07pm
31 min: Liverpool 2 Monaco 0
The impressive Koumas diddles Nazinho with a Cruyff turn but then thumps his shot straight into Hradecky’s chest.
03:04pmPictures • Goals • Key moments
GOAL!
Liverpool 2 Monaco 0 (Wirtz) Pass chipped out to Koumas down the right who arcs a cross to the back post. Gakpo meets it with a header back across goal to Isak whose first effort from a couple of yards is blocked but the ball gets stuck under Isak’s falling body and Wirtz is Johnny on the Spot to stab it in from a 18 inches as Dier tried to scramble it away.
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Wirtz squeezes his shot past Hradecky - DARREN STAPLES/AFP
03:01pm
26 min: Liverpool 1 Monaco 0
Liverpool have been impressive so far but if there has been a weakness it’s still the balance in central midfield defensively. Going forward both Gravenberch and Szobiszlai have dovetailed together well. They win the ball back when Van Dijk steps out and the midfield two fly forward to tee up Koumas for a shot that strikes Dier.
02:58pm
23 min: Liverpool 1 Monaco 0
Chance for Wirtz, who opens his body from the left of the D to try to bend a shot into the bottom right corner but fizzes it the wrong side of the post.
02:56pm
20 min: Liverpool 1 Monaco 0
It’s been pretty breathless since the goal, Liverpool dozily letting Monaco through the middle before twice cutting Monaco apart in midfield only for Isak to overrun a pass in the box delivered by Wirtz and then Koumas to shoot over.
02:48pmPictures • Goals • Key moments
GOAL!
Liverpool 1 Monaco 0 (Isak) Chip to Gakpo down the left of the box, he clips it first time back to Gravenberch in the D who lays it off to Szoboszlai. Ping-ping-ping. Szoboszlai keeps the tempo high with return, the one in the one-two with Gravenberch who picks out Isak to bury a shot from about 15 yards into the bottom left corner.
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Isak sweeps in the opener - DARREN STAPLES/AFP
02:48pm
13 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Excellent move from Liverpool, instigated by Ndukwe’s fine tackle on Biereth. He knocks it short to Gravenberch who arrows a 60-yard pass out to Koumas hurtling down the right. He measures his cross perfectly for Gakpo stealing in off the left wing and though he connects powerfully with the meat of his brow, he bashes it straight at the keeper. He was offside in any case, it transpires.
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Iraola is in the home dugout at Anfield for the first time - Peter Byrne/PA
02:44pm
11 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Charlie Adam on co-comms points out that Liverpool are going man-to-man now in classic Iraola/Bielsa style and when the camera goes high you can see it, especially with the full-backs.
02:42pm
9 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Liverpool are carving the middle of the park up with incisive passing. Szoboszlai starts a move that sends Isak down the left of the box. He traps the chip, turns back to face away from goal and taps a pass back to Wirtz who gallops on to it and bends a shot that Hradecky dives low to his left to beat away with a firm left wrist. Frimpong pounces on the rebound and clips a tame effort straight at Hradecky who had quickly restored himself to the vertical.
02:39pm
7 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Van Dijk gobbles up a long pass over Ndukwe, snuffing out any possibility of Biereth getting there first.
02:38pm
5 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Tsimikas is free down the left but overhits his cross on the run when Isak was begging for a cut-back. The left-back went for the back post and ballooned his centre behind, miles beyond Koumas and Wirtz.
02:36pm
3 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Liverpool defend the corner solidly and Frimpong races away on the counter, bombing on to the ball and sprinting into the Monaco half. But his touch is not as sound as his pace and Monaco deal with him when he fluffs his control.
A period of applause in memory of Kevin Keeganpic.twitter.com/AkPZG7babe
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 9, 2026
02:35pm
1 min: Liverpool 0 Monaco 0
Liverpool kick off defending the Kop. They roll the ball back to Frimpong who chips a long pass up the right to Koumas who hares on to the pass down the right and crosses, just beyond Isak. Hradecky gathers and bowls the ball out. A mistake by Tisimikas lets Biereth barrel through the inside-right to hammer a shot that Alisson turns behind for a corner.
02:31pm
Anfield pays tribute to Kevin Keegan
The crowd applauds in the modern way. My goodness he was a terrific player. Saw him play for Liverpool, Southampton and Newcastle. Absolutely relentless.
02:27pm
The players are in the tunnel
Virgil van Dijk has the pennant. Liverpool are wearing all red with the paint splashes of the 1990 kit. Monaco are in a very pale green.
01:58pm
Andoni Iraola speaks to LFC TV
01:52pm
A familiar face
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Paul Pogba is in Monaco’s travelling party but has not been named on the team sheet released by Monaco - Jan Kruger/Getty Images
01:49pm
Your starting XIs in black and white
Liverpool Alisson; Frimpong, Ndukwe, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Koumaz, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak.
Monaco Hradecky; Vanderson, Dier, Sané, Nazinho; Detourbet, Cabral, Camara, Golovin, Abline, Biereth.
01:46pm
Monaco team news
Eric Dier captains Monagesques:
01:39pm
Monaco’s new head coach is celebrating his birthday today
01:32pm
Liverpool team news
Alisson, Van Dijk and Gakpo return, Ndukwe continues in defence.
01:31pm
Preview: Defensive gaps to fill
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the first of two Liverpool home friendlies after their preseason tour of the United States. Andoni Iraola’s side saw off Wrexham and Sunderland in their first two matches but gave away a two-goal lead at half-time in the final fixture and ended up being beaten 4-2 by Leeds United in Chicago in the last game after multiple changes. What did we learn? Not a huge amount in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Víctor Muñoz, Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister, the first four of whom are available today other than an ongoing vulnerability from set-pieces and Curtis Jones looking like he is in desperate need of a fresh start.
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World Cup-winner Victor Munoz is poised to make his unofficial Liverpool debut today - Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
This afternoon at Anfield they take on AS Monaco who finished seventh in Ligue 1 this season but are under new management with the recruitment of the former Chelsea and Atlético left-back Filipe Luís as head coach. It’s quite the coup for Le Rocher given he led Flamengo to their first Brazilian title in five years, the Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil in his 18 months in charge.
In pre-season so far he has overseen a 5-2 win over fourth-tier AS Saint-Priest, a 2-0 defeat by Sporting Clube, a 2-2 draw with Cercle Bruges and a 1-0 victory over Getafe. They have sold their best player, Maghnes Akliouche, to PSG for £43m and Aladji Bamba to Newcastle for £34m but have so far retained Mamadou Coulibaly and Folarin Balogun, signed and made Ansu Fati’s loan move into a long-term deal.
Iraola may well persevere with Trey Nyoni in midfield who, after his performances on tour, ought to be on the threshold of a breakthrough season and it would be interesting to see him paired with Ryan Gravenberch just behind Dominik Szoboszlai.
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Trey Nyoni should be pushing for a regular first-team place this season - Liverpool FC/Getty Images
Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who played well in America after coming on for the injured Joe Gomez, does not have a UK work permit and will have to go abroad on loan for the season but Jérémy Jacquet, who has yet to feature, was due to have a fitness test this morning and would be a welcome to boost to a squad whose defence still requires significant reinforcements.
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