Ex-PGMOL chief: Liverpool and Leeds stars put at 'risk' as images emerge from pre-season clash
Liverpool and Leeds United put their players at "risk" for the sake of a few million pounds on a pre-season tour of America.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that both sides would have huge regrets had long-term injuries been suffered on Sunday, 3 August.
Both Premier League sides played the final of their three Summer Series games in USA, with Daniel Farke's team claiming a 4-2 win at Soldier Field.
The main talking point from the game was about the state of the pitch, however, with images emerging from the ground level before kick-off.
Supporters simply couldnt' believe that the clubs had agreed to play the game on such surfaces, especially with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Federico Chiesa and their injury issues.
Luckily, everyone appeared to come through the game unscathed, but had that been a different story, the supporters would be furious about the friendly fixture being played.
Leeds United and Liverpool all about 'money, money, money
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett was surprised that the clubs risked players worth millions of pounds for a very small payday.
"Money, money, money. Often where games take place, they're playing in stadiums where there are other sports," he said.
"At some stadiums, where baseball was is the major sport, during the course of the match, you'd run through a pile of sand that leveled off the pitching mound.
"Fortunately they didn't leave a hill in the middle of the pitch but what did leave was a pile of sand and and players played around it.
"The main thing is that the clubs and the teams have to ensure player safety. They ought to have a minimum standard.
"And certainly when you look at the state of those pitches, you think, 'Is this conducive?'
"When you consider rightly that you've got players worth millions and probably for playing in a tournament, they're probably going to get a couple of million.
"They're certainly not going to get the value of what they've paid out for a player who may be injured for the rest of the season. It's a risk that they take. Is it the right one?"
Andoni Iraola given food for thought at Soldier Field
The Reds may have escaped without any serious injuries, but it was far from the ideal last game before returning to Anfield to face Monaco.
Supporters were hugely critical of Ryan Gravenberch especially, alongside a whole host of other players, during the six-goal thriller in USA.
Andoni Iraola's side had taken a two-goal lead in the first half, but a Calvert-Lewin double, and goals from Brenden Aaronson and Sean Longstaff, meant that Leeds took the win.
If Liverpool are to make huge improvements from Arne Slot's second season in charge on Merseyside, they will need to be much more defensively solid than they were at Soldier Field.