Liverpool have been overwhelmed 4-2 by AC Milan as Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo scored, whereas Rio Ngumoha and Florian Wirtz impressed in Hong Kong.
Liverpool 2-4 AC Milan
Pre-Season Pleasant (2) | Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong
July 26, 2025
Targets
Leao 10′
Szoboszlai 26′ (help: Ngumoha)
Loftus-Cheek 52′
Okafor 59′, 90+4′
Gakpo 90+3′ (help: Konate)
Workforce information
Whereas all 49,704 units of eyes have been on Wirtz contained in the air-conditioned stadium, maybe the largest staff information got here within the type of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez‘s absences, amid continued hypothesis over their futures.
With Joe Gomez having flown house attributable to an Achilles drawback, Liverpool have been left with two centre-backs of their squad. Slot determined to begin Virgil van Dijk within the first half alongside Ryan Gravenberch, and stored Ibrahima Konate again to associate Kostas Tsimikas after the break.
In the meantime, Andy Robertson performed left-back because the versatile Luca Stephenson began on the correct, with a midfield three of Tyler Morton, Harvey Elliott and Szoboszlai forward in midfield.
Curiously, Wirtz began as Liverpool’s centre-forward, however in actuality, Elliott took up a really superior place to create a entrance 4, with Mo Salah and Rio Ngumoha to both aspect.
For the opposition, supervisor Massimiliano Allegri – he’s again at Milan after 11 years away – began with the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic, who have been sporting their shiny yellow third strip.
First half
As we’ve come to anticipate from Liverpool on these pre-season excursions, their followers have been out in power massively outnumbering their AC Milan-supporting counterparts.
Earlier than kick-off, Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath to recollect Diogo Jota and followers held up playing cards to show a mosaic studying ‘DJ20′, many within the crowd holding up their very own messages of assist.
As the sport kicked off, it rapidly turned obvious Elliott can be roaming in a complicated place whereas the Reds’ had the ball, virtually enjoying in a entrance two with Wirtz.
From the very begin, it had turn out to be obvious that Liverpool have been susceptible on the break, with Milan capable of break dangerously on a number of events down Liverpool’s makeshift proper aspect.
Milan struck first after Pulisic fed Leao to spring on the break and carry the ball from the midway line into the field. As soon as into the realm, he fired powerfully past Alisson from a decent angle earlier than paying tribute to Jota in his celebration.
By the twenty sixth minute, Liverpool have been stage once more as Dominik Szoboszlai curled a ravishing effort with a stabbing movement into the far nook from the sting of the field, and it got here after Ngumoha’s trickery allowed him to maintain the ball and convey others into play.
The younger winger was thrilling the gang, not for the primary time this pre-season, and was denied by goalkeeper Mike Maignan simply moments after Szoboszlai’s equaliser.
Whereas considering the apparent caveat of this being a pleasant, the 16-year-old by no means handed on inventive duty to his extra skilled friends.
Thirty-three minutes in, Slot made his first change, bringing on Trey Nyoni for Morton in midfield, however the identical sample of possession then counter-attack continued.
Seconds earlier than the break, Van Dijk suffered a blow to the face, however fortunately the captain wasn’t badly damage.
Half time: Liverpool 1-1 AC Milan
Slot made 9 adjustments at half time, swapping Alisson for Giorgi Mamardashvili and introducing a brand new defence that includes Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate, Tsimikas and Milos Kerkez – Liverpool’s Greek worldwide lined up at centre-half.
Gravenberch moved into midfield, enjoying with Nyoni and Curtis Jones, whereas Frimpong featured excessive on the correct, with Ben Doak by means of the center and Cody Gakpo on the left.
Like within the Reds’ behind-closed-doors pleasant towards Stoke, Frimpong tended to remain large as Bradley made underlapping runs utilizing his more and more mature physique.
The Northern Eire worldwide’s tempo wasn’t sufficient to maintain up with Leao, although, because the winger once more proved the distinction maker, sprinting down the left earlier than pulling the ball again to Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who confirmed actual high quality to calmly sidefoot house.
Regardless of Liverpool trying good in possession, they have been all at sea in transition, Milan scoring once more on the break an hour in by means of an excellent first-time end from Noah Okafor.
As Milan made a triple substitution, Morton made his manner again onto the pitch, changing Gravenberch as Liverpool’s most defensive midfielder.
Arguably the Reds’ greatest risk within the second interval got here by means of Frimpong. The Dutchman’s lightning tempo constantly created area for crosses on the correct, however too typically Liverpool couldn’t make the ultimate shot depend across the field.
They did ultimately get one other, due to a wonderful Gakpo header in added time, however that was rapidly adopted by a calamitous go on the again from Mamardashvili which let Okafor in to attain a fourth within the empty web.
With gamers out of place and the defence continuously in a state of chaos when being counter-attacked, it was fairly clear Liverpool have been utilizing this as a health train greater than a costume rehearsal for the brand new marketing campaign.
No want to fret; it was simply pre-season. Nevertheless, the necessity for Liverpool so as to add a centre-back was the one very apparent takeaway from this outing.
Liverpool first-half XI: Alisson; Stephenson, Gravenberch, Van Dijk, Robertson; Morton (Nyoni 32′), Szoboszlai, Elliott; Salah, Wirtz, Ngumoha
Liverpool second-half XI: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Tsimikas, Kerkez; Gravenberch (Morton 63′), Jones, Nyoni; Frimpong, Doak, Gakpo
Subs not used: Woodman
Subsequent match: Yokohama FM (A) – Pleasant – Wednesday, July 30, 11.30am (BST)
