Liverpool's pre‑season hopes dented by early Joe Gomez injury

Liverpool suffered a setback on Saturday when defender Joe Gomez limped off just seven minutes into their first pre‑season friendly against Sunderland in the United States, prompting immediate treatment for the injury and a visible head shake before he was substituted.

The match marked Liverpool's inaugural pre‑season clash of the campaign, staged in the United States against Sunderland. Both sides arrived eager to fine‑tune tactics ahead of the upcoming season.

Only seven minutes into the game, Joe Gomez went down and required urgent attention from the medical staff. The 29‑year‑old was seen shaking his head before leaving the pitch.

Kostas Tsimikas immediately assumed the captain’s armband for the Reds following Gomez’s exit. The Greek full‑back took charge as the team reorganised.

Minutes after the change, Liverpool broke the deadlock when Kieran Morrison found the net, giving the Reds the opening goal of the encounter.