Liverpool vs Como: Pre-Season Clash at Anfield

Liverpool’s pre-season has stumbled rather than soared, and now Como arrive with momentum and nothing to fear. The friendly at Anfield on 16 August 2026, kicking off at 11:30, suddenly looks like more than a routine warm-up. It looks like a test of direction.

Liverpool searching for rhythm

Liverpool come into this game with just one win in their last five outings. The numbers tell the story: one victory, one draw, three defeats. Ten goals scored, ten conceded. Entertaining, yes. Convincing, no.

Their most recent run-out, a 3-2 loss to Monaco on 9 August in a club friendly, underlined the pattern. Liverpool can hurt teams, but they can be hurt just as easily. Before that, a 4-2 defeat to Leeds United in pre-season only sharpened the questions around their defensive balance and game control.

There have been flashes of the old power. A 1-0 win over Wrexham showed they can grind. A 4-2 victory against Sunderland reminded everyone that, when the attack clicks, they can still overwhelm opponents. Yet across this short sample, Liverpool have looked like a side still searching for the right tempo, the right partnerships, the right edge.

Team news remains a mystery. No official injury, suspension, or probable XI information has been released. No hints on selection, no clues on shape. For now, all that’s clear is that Liverpool need a performance that feels like a step forward, not just another data point in a muddled pre-season.

Como arrive with confidence

On the other side, Como travel with a very different mood. Three wins, one draw, one defeat in their last five. Eleven goals scored, seven conceded. A team on an upward curve.

Their latest result, a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on 12 August, turned heads. Holding their own against Premier League opposition in pre-season is no small statement, and it fits neatly into a broader surge of form.

Before that, Como edged Famalicao 3-2 and shared a 2-2 draw with Paris FC, showing they can both trade punches and stay in games when the pace quickens. Go back to the end of their Serie A campaign and the picture sharpens further: back-to-back wins over Cremonese and Parma closed their league season with purpose.

Like Liverpool, Como have kept their cards close to their chest. No official word on their coach’s plans, no confirmed squad list, no fitness bulletins. But the recent results say enough. This is not a side turning up for the occasion. This is a side testing itself against a heavyweight, with form to back its ambition.

A first look at a new matchup

There is no recent head-to-head history to lean on here. No classic meetings to recall, no scorelines to frame the narrative. Liverpool vs Como is, for now, a blank page.

That makes this friendly intriguing. Liverpool, still trying to knit together a coherent pre-season story. Como, riding a wave of positive results and eager to see how far that momentum can carry them on one of European football’s most famous stages.

One club needs reassurance. The other wants validation.

When the whistle goes at Anfield, which storyline takes control?