Liverpool vs Como 1907: Anfield Awaits a Fearless Test
Liverpool’s final dress rehearsal before the Premier League curtain rises comes with a twist. No fans. Two games in one day. And an opponent with absolutely nothing to fear.
Como 1907, a club that was in Serie D just seven years ago and is now preparing for its first-ever Champions League campaign, arrive at Anfield on Sunday carrying momentum, belief, and a growing reputation for upsetting bigger names.
Behind closed doors, the usual Anfield roar disappears. So does a large chunk of Liverpool’s aura.
Reds Still Finding Their Feet Under Iraola
Andoni Iraola is only just beginning to stamp his ideas on this Liverpool side, and it shows.
The Reds have flashed their usual attacking threat in pre-season, scoring nine goals in four matches. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexander Isak both found the net in their latest outing, and with Florian Wirtz and Federico Chiesa expected to feature, the hosts will carry serious firepower again.
But at the other end, the picture is far less reassuring.
Liverpool have lost back-to-back friendlies, both against sides they were fancied to beat. The collapse against Leeds was especially alarming: 2-0 up on the hour, 4-2 down by full-time. Seven goals conceded in their last two games underlines a defence still very much in transition.
Injuries have not helped. Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, and Joe Gomez are sidelined, leaving Iraola short of options. New arrival Jeremy Jacquet only returned to training on Wednesday and is unlikely to be risked. That pushes loan signing Ronald Araujo straight into the heart of the defence, where he will likely form a brand-new partnership in front of Alisson.
Finding rhythm at centre-back takes time. Como will know that.
Como’s Rise: From Serie D to Champions League
Cesc Fabregas has every reason to be satisfied with his side’s summer.
Como finished fourth in Serie A last season, a remarkable achievement that secured them a historic first appearance in the Champions League. For a club that was slogging through Italy’s fourth tier seven years ago, the trajectory has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Their pre-season has mirrored that rise. Como are unbeaten in five friendlies inside 90 minutes and have shown they can live with elite opposition. On Wednesday night, they went to the Emirates Stadium and held Premier League champions Arsenal to a draw over 90 minutes, an eye-catching result that will only fuel their belief ahead of Anfield.
Goals have come freely. Fabregas’ men have scored 10 times in their last five games, hitting more than one goal in three of those outings. Martin Baturina and Anastasios Douvikas have been central to that threat and are again tipped to trouble the scoreboard on Sunday.
Goals Expected at Both Ends
Strip away the crowd, and Anfield becomes just another pitch. That suits Como.
Without the noise and the pressure from the stands, the Italian side should settle quickly into the contest. Liverpool’s attack will still ask questions — this is not a side short of creativity — but their uncertain back line looks ripe for testing.
The numbers tell the story. Three of Liverpool’s four pre-season matches have seen both teams score. Every single one of Como’s five friendlies has produced goals at both ends. Both sides are sharper going forward than they are secure at the back.
Everything points to another open game, one in which a 2-2 scoreline feels entirely plausible. That’s the prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Como 1907, with Szoboszlai and Isak on target for the hosts, Baturina and Douvikas replying for the visitors.
Best Angles: Goals, Upset Potential, and Como’s Edge
The expectation is clear: chances, chaos, and very little in the way of clean sheets.
- Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score looks well supported by recent form. Liverpool are creating plenty but leaking badly. Como are confident, incisive, and unafraid to commit bodies forward.
- The double chance on Draw/Como 1907 reflects the growing sense that this is not a routine friendly for Liverpool. Two straight defeats, defensive frailties, and an empty stadium strip away much of their usual advantage. Como, unbeaten in regulation across five pre-season games and fresh from holding Arsenal, have every right to believe they can avoid defeat again.
- Como 1907 to score over 1.5 goals is no longer a wild punt. Monaco and Leeds have both gone past the one-goal mark against Liverpool recently. With the Reds still piecing together a new central defensive unit, Fabregas’ side are well placed to strike twice.
Probable Lineups
Liverpool expected XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Araujo, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Chiesa; Wirtz, Gakpo, Isak.
Como 1907 expected XI: Butez; Couto, Ramon, Kempf, Valle; Da Cunha, Perrone, Liberali; Baturina, Diao, Douvikas.
A Different Kind of Anfield Test
This is not a season-defining fixture, but it is a revealing one.
For Liverpool, it’s a final chance to tighten the screws before the Premier League begins, to show that the defensive lapses of the last fortnight are a blip rather than a pattern.
For Como, it is another step in a remarkable climb, another opportunity to prove that their surge from Serie D to the Champions League is built on more than just romance.
If they leave Anfield with another result to shout about, how many more so-called friendlies will anyone take lightly against them?
