Four Takeaways As Liverpool Debutant Stars in Como Friendly Victory

Liverpool’s preparations for the 2026–27 season concluded with a pair of friendlies against Como. A 70-minute outing at the club’s training ground was followed by an Anfield-hosted encounter, which the Reds won 2–0.

Andoni Iraola thus claimed his first unofficial victory on home soil as Liverpool boss, and the Spaniard would’ve been encouraged by his side’s showing against the Serie A outfit, who are readying themselves for their first taste of the Champions League.

Nico Paz appeared for the first time post-World Cup, and new signing Trevoh Chalobah made his first maiden Como start. However, Liverpool’s second friendly, in particular, was lit up by one man in red.

Here are four takeaways from Liverpool’s preseason triumph over Como.

Jérémy Jacquet Steals The Show

Suddenly, it’s all starting to make sense as to why Liverpool aren’t panicking about the center back position.

Sure, a short-term solution was necessary, and Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo has joined the club on loan. However, the Reds shouldn’t be expected to conduct any more business at the heart of their defense before the deadline. Why? Well, Jérémy Jacquet is the real deal.

The young French defender, who officially joined the club this summer after Liverpool reached a $74 million deal with Rennes in January, has been carefully managed by the club at the start of his career on Merseyside. A shoulder injury curtailed the second half of his 2025–26 campaign, and his unofficial debut was delayed until Sunday as a result.

Liverpool’s caution meant his bow lasted just 45 minutes, but in the first half at Anfield, Jacquet laid bare the skill set that has led many to regard him as one of Europe’s outstanding center back prospects.

His close-range finish was merely the cherry on top of a commanding performance that showcased his proactivity and composure in possession. Jacquet defends with bite on the front foot, but is a stellar recovery defender, too.

An archetypal modern-day defender he most certainly is, and playing alongside Virgil van Dijk in year one will aid his integration immensely.

Cody Gakpo Still in Limbo

Liverpool don’t exactly want to lose Cody Gakpo this summer, but they’ll likely be willing to sanction his sale to Tottenham Hotspur if they strike a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola.

The Dutch international entered the summer off the back of a forgettable 2025–26 campaign, during which he notched 15 goal contributions in 52 matches across all competitions. It was his least productive full season of his Liverpool career, with supporters ruing the departure of Luis Díaz to Bayern Munich.

Thus, fans have come around to losing Gakpo for a fair price this summer. A reported $80 million asking price should do the trick, although the forward may well have made it tougher for the club to facilitate his exit off the back of his performance on Sunday.

Gakpo opened the scoring with a tidy left-footed finish, then teed up Jacquet for his debut goal. He never looked particularly enthused at Anfield, though, perhaps suspecting that this outing may well be his last for the club.

Dutch news outlet Voetbal International reports that Gakpo has reached an agreement in principle with Spurs and is waiting for the clubs to compromise on a fee. After his showing against Como, Roberto De Zerbi must want the 27-year-old through the door as soon as possible.

Too Much Too Soon For Standout Youngster?

Rio Ngumoha has moved over to the right flank. | Liverpool FC/Getty Images

It looks like Liverpool won’t directly replace Mohamed Salah in the transfer market this summer. The Reds have signed Victor Muñoz from Osasuna, and the Spanish international replaced Gakpo down the left on Sunday.

Barcola, meanwhile, is capable on both flanks, but has starred for PSG primarily as a left-sided forward.

How Iraola mitigates Salah’s absence remains one of the key questions surrounding the first iteration of his Liverpool team. Amid the Egyptian’s downturn in form last season, Arne Slot pivoted to Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong. The former almost certainly won’t be considered by Iraola, and supporters remain sceptical about Frimpong’s Premier League suitability.

Against Como, teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha operated opposite Gakpo, having almost exclusively burst through on the left wing on Merseyside. Iraola has previously said that it would be a “big help” to have wingers capable on both flanks, and Ngumoha will be expected to perform in Salah’s territory.

There was nothing wrong with Ngumoha’s performance at Anfield, and he certainly has the skill set to evolve into an efficient right winger. He’s not a one-trick pony, often beating defenders through technique rather than raw pace.

However, by thrusting him with the responsibility of replacing one of the club’s greatest ever players, you wonder whether too much may be heading the young man’s way a little too soon.

Andoni Iraola Encouraged By Fitness Levels

Iraola’s soccer isn’t for the faint-hearted. A Marcelo Bielsa disciple, the Spaniard requires unrelenting intensity for 90 minutes every time his team takes to the field. The success of his framework ultimately depends on the fitness levels of his personnel, with players asked to “play one-on-one all over the pitch, to press high and to always be on the front foot,” as Milos Kerkez put it.

Thus, the manager’s comments after the 3–2 defeat to Monaco, when they threw away a 2–0 lead for the second consecutive match, raised concerns. He told reporters his team “doesn’t have much more, in terms of the levels required to play like this” after a strong 30 minutes.

However, Iraola was encouraged by what he saw against Como, saying: “I think we are better than we were last week. Still, I hope next week we are better than we were today.”

He continued: “But today a lot of players played 90 minutes, 80 minutes, and they finished [with] no cramps, apparently nothing major. So, it’s keep building these fitness levels; this [mentality] even when you are not as fresh [to] keep the focus so you don't make the big mistakes.”

Still, Liverpool aren’t quite where Iraola wants them to be, and it’s worth remembering that Bournemouth didn’t win any of their first nine Premier League games of the Spaniard’s tenure.

It’s going to take some time for ’Iraola-ball’ to kick into gear.

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