Liverpool supporters have received a major preseason boost after head coach Andoni Iraola confirmed that Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch are all set to feature in Sunday’s friendly against Leeds United in Chicago.
The trio have yet to play during Liverpool’s preseason tour of the United States after being granted extended recovery time following their involvement at the FIFA World Cup.
However, with the Premier League campaign edging closer, Iraola believes the time has come for the three stars to begin their preparations on the pitch.
Liverpool have already recorded victories over Sunderland and Wrexham during the tour, but the clash against Leeds will provide the strongest indication yet of how the Reds are shaping up under their new manager.
For Iraola, integrating key players back into the squad is just as important as winning preseason fixtures.
The Liverpool boss explained that the coaching staff deliberately managed the workload of the returning internationals to avoid rushing them back too early.
Despite their quality, Iraola believes patience has been essential after a demanding summer schedule.
“I think we’ve been cautious in terms of giving them the time to reach to the level where the others are, because they’ve been training for two weeks before them, but my idea is that the three of them will play the last game against Leeds,” Iraola told club media.
Although supporters can expect to see Isak, Wirtz and Gravenberch on the pitch, the manager also confirmed their playing time will be carefully monitored.
“Probably we’ll have to restrict their minutes. We still have another three weeks before the start of the season where they will play more, we can push them more.
“But I think we need them to start as soon as possible because sometimes they have to make the mistakes now, so we can have time to correct them.”
The comments underline Iraola’s long-term approach, prioritizing match fitness and tactical understanding over immediate results.
Much of the attention will naturally focus on Alexander Isak.
The Swedish striker endured a frustrating first campaign at Anfield after completing his high-profile £125 million move from Newcastle United.
Injuries restricted the forward to just 22 appearances, while he managed four goals during a season interrupted by a serious ankle and fibula injury suffered in December.
Liverpool fans will be hoping a full preseason allows the striker to rediscover the form that made him one of Europe’s most feared attackers.
Wirtz also returns with enormous expectations after establishing himself as one of Germany’s brightest creative talents, while Gravenberch is eager to play a bigger role in Liverpool’s midfield after showing flashes of his quality.
The meeting with Leeds represents Liverpool’s final match in the United States before attention shifts back to Merseyside.
Following the Chicago encounter, the Reds will continue their preparations with a home friendly against AS Monaco before two behind-closed-doors fixtures against Como.
Those matches will give Iraola further opportunities to fine-tune his tactical system and assess player combinations before competitive football begins.
Liverpool’s Premier League campaign officially gets underway on August 23 with a challenging opener against Newcastle United—a fixture that will immediately test the progress made throughout preseason.
While results during preseason are always welcome, Iraola’s primary objective remains building a team capable of competing consistently throughout the season.
The gradual return of experienced internationals is another important step in that process.
With Isak, Wirtz and Gravenberch now ready to rejoin the action, Liverpool’s squad is beginning to resemble the group Iraola hopes will challenge on multiple fronts in the months ahead.
Sunday’s clash against Leeds may be only a friendly, but for Liverpool supporters, it offers an exciting first glimpse of three key players returning together as the Reds move one step closer to the start of a new era under their new manager.
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