Liverpool bring their pre-season tour of Asia to a close when they face Yokohama F. Marinos, with Arne Slot’s side eager to respond after their 4-2 setback against AC Milan at the weekend.
Liverpool’s pre-season friendly against Yokohama F Marinos will proceed as planned and will not be cancelled, despite Japan issuing a Tsunami warning following an earthquake in Russia.
The weather warning had raised doubts over the encounter but public transport to the Nissan Stadium is still in operation and the game is not in doubt as things stand.
With the new Premier League campaign now little more than a fortnight away, this final outing in Japan offers a chance to sharpen up, build rhythm and lay down a marker ahead of August 15. Here’s everything you need to know.
Date, kick-off time and venue
The pre-season friendly kicks off at 11:30pm BST (7:30 pm local time) on Wednesday, 30th July at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan.
How to watch
Supporters in the UK can watch the game live on LFCTV, with coverage beginning at 10:30am BST. The match will also be streamed on All Red Video for subscribers, with monthly plans starting at £4.99.
Liverpool and Yokohama’s form
Liverpool arrive in Yokohama on the back of a mixed bag of results, beating Preston and Stoke City but fell to a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in Hong Kong last Saturday. That game highlighted defensive issues, particularly against quick counter-attacks down their right-hand side. Forced into using midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Tyler Morton in defensive positions, the Reds struggled for stability, and a mix-up between Kostas Tsimikas and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili handed Milan a fourth goal.
Despite the result, there were positives to take away. Florian Wirtz made his debut after becoming Liverpool’s club-record signing and showed promising signs of link-up play with Mohamed Salah and 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha. Slot will hope to see those combinations continue to develop against Yokohama while seeking a more solid defensive display.
The J1 League side head into this fixture in good spirits following a 3-0 win over Nagoya Grampus on July 20. Goals from Kaina Tanimura, Yan Matheus and Asahi Uenaka gave Hideo Oshima’s team an important victory that lifted them to 18th place in the table, three points from safety.
While the result was a boost, Yokohama’s home form has been a concern. They have failed to score in three of their last four matches at the Nissan Stadium, something their coach will be keen to address ahead of the resumption of domestic action next week.
Team news
Liverpool’s preparations have been affected by several absences. Joe Gomez has been forced to leave the camp with an achilles injury, while Alisson Becker has returned to England for personal reasons. Luis Díaz has almost completed a £65.5 million move to Bayern Munich and is no longer with the squad.
There could be a first appearance for new signing Hugo Ekitike, who was not involved against Milan having only just joined the squad from Eintracht Frankfurt. Wataru Endo is also available again along with Darwin Nunez after injury and illness, and Alexis Mac Allister has returned to full training, making a pre-season debut a possibility.
Yokohama have found form as of late, but they could be without a couple of players who’ve been important amid their recent upsurge.
Kaina Tanimura and Ren Kato are doubts after sustaining knocks in the win against Nagoya. Asahi Uenaka and former Arsenal forward Ryo Miyaichi are ready to step in if required.
Predicted lineups
Yokohama F. Marinos (4-2-3-1): Ik-Kyu (GK); Miyaichi, Quinones, Deng, Suzuki; Yamane, Aziangbe; Matheus, Inoue, Elber; David
Injured/doubtful: Kato, Tanimura
Liverpool (4-3-3): Mamardashvili (GK); Frimpong, Stephenson, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Wirtz; Salah, Ekitike, Ngumoha
Injured/unavailable: Gomez, Alisson, Diaz
What’s next
After this clash, a double header against Athletic Bilbao follows for Liverpool on Monday, August 4. The first match kicks off at 5:00pm BST, followed by a second game at 8:00pm BST.
The 2025 Community Shield will see Premier League champions Liverpool face FA Cup winners Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 10, with kick-off at 3:00pm BST.
