Liverpool face Como in a double header on Sunday in their penultimate pre-season friendly at Anfield.
The first match will be played behind closed doors, and the second match will be played in front of a crowd.
Liverpool vs Como – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 16th August.
- Kick-off: 6pm BST.
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool.
Liverpool team news
Liverpool head into their double-header pre-season friendlies with manager Andoni Iraola balancing mixed squad availability ahead of the Premier League opener against Newcastle.
The Reds welcome back Alexis Mac Allister from an extended post-tournament break, with the midfielder starting the morning behind-closed-doors fixture.
Meanwhile, high-profile loan signing Ronald Araújo is set for his unofficial Anfield debut in the evening match, expected to partner Virgil van Dijk in central defence.
New arrival Victor Muñoz and fit-again defender Jeremy Jacquet are also fully integrated into Sunday’s matchday plans.
However, the squad faces a minor defensive crisis due to several notable absences.
Joe Gomez is sidelined with a fresh muscle injury, joining a lengthy casualty list that features Conor Bradley recovering from a knee issue, forward Hugo Ekitiké out with an Achilles tendon injury, and teenage defender Giovanni Leoni, who remains out long-term with an ACL tear.
Como team news
Como 1907 arrive at Anfield with high momentum under Cesc Fàbregas following an impressive pre-season draw against Arsenal earlier in the week.
The Italian side, preparing for an historic upcoming Champions League campaign, boasts a largely healthy and reinforced squad for this dual-fixture event.
Star playmaker Nico Paz has rejoined first-team training following a late return from his international commitments and is expected to feature heavily in the creative midfield roles.
Fàbregas is also keen to integrate new defensive signing Trevoh Chalobah, who is firmly in contention to earn his first start for the club in the main evening match alongside standard starters like Perrone and Da Cunha.
Up front, clinical forward Anastasios Douvikas is slated to lead the line as Como tests their tactical setup against elite English opposition before kicking off their highly anticipated domestic season.
Form
Liverpool
Liverpool’s summer preparations under Andoni Iraola have yielded highly inconsistent results. They opened their pre-season strongly by securing consecutive victories, beating Sunderland 4–2 and Wrexham 1–0. However, defensive vulnerabilities quickly surfaced, leading to consecutive defeats. They suffered a 4–2 loss to Leeds United before falling 3–2 to AS Monaco, leaving the squad eager to resolve their backline issues before the competitive season kicks off.
Como
Como 1907 enter this fixture in solid pre-season form, remaining entirely undefeated in regulation time across their summer preparations. Cesc Fàbregas’s side built strong early momentum by securing a 3–2 win over Famalicão and defeating Al-Ula 3–1. They recently showcased their tactical growth ahead of an historic Champions League campaign by holding elite Premier League opposition Arsenal to a 1–1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Predicted lineups
Liverpool: Alisson; Frimpong, Araujo, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Ngumoha, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak
Como: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Kempf, Valle; Da Cunha, Perrone; Liberali, Baturina, Diao; Douvikas
How to watch Liverpool vs Como?
UK Viewers can watch the match broadcast live on the club’s dedicated channel, LFCTV.
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