Andoni Iraola change evident as two Liverpool signings make instant impression - 5 talking points

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.

Andoni Iraola took charge of his first Liverpool game against Sunderland. This is what we spotted with Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe among those to impress.Jeremie Frimpong fights for possession during Liverpool vs Sunderland.(Image: Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)Andoni Iraola oversaw a Liverpool win in his first match as head coach, with the Reds beating Sunderland in Nashville to kick off an important pre-season this summer.It was Kieran Morrison who became the first Liverpool player to score under Iraola, but Enzo Le Fee equalized before the half-time break with a sensational strike from distance.

Clearly, there was a desire to press.Iraola spoke pre-match about wanting to see the first signs of his style, even though he admitted there would be plenty of mistakes in the early weeks.Deepest was Curtis Jones, with James McConnell often breaking forward to his left. There was certainly interest from the Serie A giant in the midfielder in the winter and earlier this summer.Iraola spoke in his first press conference about wanting to keep Jones, though, and he does seem like the right fit for his system.

The only reason he would leave his boyhood side is if there are limitations placed on his minutes.Nothing can ever be 100 per cent guaranteed on that front, but he has a pre-season head-start on the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.In Nashville, it was interesting that he was used as a number six, despite McConnell, who was just ahead of him, being more than capable of filling that role.He certainly has the skillset to do it, and it could be a route into the team more often. That was one clear difference from last season, with Iraola seemingly keen to make Jones central — at least until other midfielders are available again.Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe impressMcConnell and Mor Talla Ndiaye were among the young talents in the starting XI, while Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Trey Nyoni were two of those to come off the bench.Though Arne Slot's supposed reluctance to use academy prospects was overblown — and it isn't like Iraola had much choice here, given the lack of senior depth — fans always like a glimpse of the next generation.Will Wright is perhaps the youngster — Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha aside — who has the best chance of forcing his way into the thinking at the start of the season, given he plays as a number nine (where there is a vacancy) and he has previous senior experience.Here, however, Wright was unable to get that involved, struggling to hold things up and bring others into play.