| Liverpool vs Leeds | |
| MATCH | Club Friendlies |
| DATE | 03 - 08 - 2026 |
| TIME | 01.30 AM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Liverpool vs Leeds United Match Preview: Reds Face Familiar Rivals in Chicago
Liverpool continue their preparations for the 2026-27 season with a pre-season friendly against Leeds United in Chicago on Sunday, as both Premier League clubs look to build momentum ahead of the new campaign.
The Reds have enjoyed a perfect start to their summer schedule, winning both of their opening friendlies. After defeating Sunderland 4-2 in an entertaining six-goal contest, Liverpool followed it up with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Wrexham in New York.
Teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha scored the only goal of the game with a deflected effort, although Liverpool had to withstand sustained pressure from Wrexham, who created several clear-cut opportunities. Despite the narrow win, manager Andoni Iraola praised his side's improved teamwork and defensive organization, highlighting how well the players adapted to the smaller pitch dimensions.
Sunday's clash marks Liverpool's final fixture away from Anfield before returning home for a series of pre-season matches against Monaco and Como, with one of the Como games taking place behind closed doors.
Meanwhile, transfer speculation continues to dominate headlines around Anfield, with supporters eagerly awaiting further additions to the squad despite recent positive reports surrounding potential winger Bradley Barcola.
Leeds United, meanwhile, have shown encouraging signs during their American tour. Daniel Farke's side suffered a thrilling 3-2 defeat to Wrexham before bouncing back with a 1-0 victory over Sunderland.
The winning goal came from Lukas Nmecha in unusual fashion, as the German striker capitalized on a goalkeeping error with a slow-rolling effort from distance that eventually crossed the line after striking the post.
Former Liverpool winger Harry Wilson has also made an impressive start to life at Elland Road, providing his first assist within half an hour of his debut against Wrexham.
Following this fixture, Leeds will return to England for friendlies against RB Leipzig and Augsburg, with another high-profile meeting against Manchester United in Dublin scheduled between those games.
The two clubs shared evenly contested meetings in the 2025-26 Premier League season, drawing 3-3 at Elland Road before playing out a goalless stalemate at Anfield, suggesting another competitive encounter could be on the cards.
Team News
Liverpool have been dealt a defensive setback with Joe Gomez ruled out for several weeks after suffering a muscular injury during the Sunderland friendly.
However, there is good news for the Reds as summer signing Jeremy Jacquet has recovered from a shoulder injury and is available to make his unofficial debut. Ifeanyi Ndukwe could make way as Liverpool continue rotating their squad throughout pre-season.
Supporters could also see Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch make their first appearances of the summer, although all three are expected to begin on the bench.
For Leeds United, defender Tarik Muharemovic made his first appearance in the win over Sunderland, while Gabriel Gudmundsson returned after an extended break following the FIFA World Cup.
However, Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson are still unavailable due to post-World Cup holidays. Jakub Bijol remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is nearing full fitness after a minor setback but is unlikely to be risked for this match.
Prediction
Liverpool have looked sharp during pre-season and possess greater squad depth, even with several players only just returning to action. Leeds have been competitive throughout their summer tour and are capable of causing problems, but the Reds should have enough quality to secure another victory.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Leeds United.null
