Liverpool suffered a 3-2 defeat to Monaco in Andoni Iraola’s first match at Anfield as manager after again allowing a two-goal advantage to slip away.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz put Liverpool 2-0 ahead, but Aleksandr Golovin’s penalty and a goal from Mika Biereth brought Monaco level before Paris Brunner headed in the late winner.
Iraola made 11 changes at half-time and handed new signing Victor Munoz his Liverpool debut. The defeat followed a similar collapse against Leeds United in Chicago last week, when Liverpool also surrendered a two-goal lead and lost 4-2.
“It was quite similar to the game we played against Leeds,” Iraola said, acknowledging that Monaco had been the better side after the interval.
Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Cody Gakpo also made their first appearances since the World Cup. Iraola said the returning players showed positive signs but lacked the fitness to maintain their intensity for the full 90 minutes.
Liverpool will open their Premier League campaign away to Newcastle United on August 23.
Manchester United drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg, Sweden, in a pre-season friendly, with Mason Mount forced off after being struck during the match.
United fell behind inside two minutes when Ibrahim Mbaye scored for PSG, but Bryan Mbeumo equalised before half-time.
Manager Michael Carrick played down concerns over Mount’s injury, saying the midfielder had been taken off as a precaution.
Carrick said he was encouraged by his team’s performance and praised the players for adapting to situations without being given all the answers by the coaching staff.
Newcastle United began new manager Matthias Jaissle’s tenure with a 2-1 victory over Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium.
Filip Ugrinic gave Valencia an early lead, but substitute Yoane Wissa scored twice in the second half to complete Newcastle’s comeback.
The match was overshadowed by an injury scare involving new signing Anthony Elanga, who was carried off on a stretcher following a challenge from Valencia defender Jose Gaya, who was sent off.
Jaissle later said initial indications suggested the Sweden international had avoided a serious injury, adding that he hoped Elanga would be fit to resume training the following week.
