Arsenal lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium and Liverpool lost 3-2 to Monaco at Anfield, as both Premier League clubs suffered five-goal defeats in pre-season friendlies.
The Premier League season is now two weeks away, with Arsenal opening their campaign against promoted Coventry City on 21 August.
Arsenal beaten by Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates
Dortmund took a 2-0 lead into half time at the Emirates through Inacio in the 7th minute and Karetsas in the 30th. Ethan Nwaneri pulled a goal back for Arsenal in the 53rd minute, but Dortmund moved 3-1 ahead before Viktor Gyokeres converted a 69th-minute penalty, won by Christos Tzolis, to make the final score 3-2. The match also went to a penalty shootout after full time.
Tzolis, a Greek left winger signed by Arsenal for £34million, made his first appearance at the Emirates and provided an assist as well as winning the penalty. He has now been involved in three assists and a goal across three pre-season games.
Arteta on Community Shield readiness
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said his squad were ready for the Community Shield meeting with Manchester City next week. "Yes, because we have very different groups within the same time that they are coming back," he said. "Because some of them they've done more, some others they've done less, some more than they did and almost participated in the World Cup in terms of minutes. So they are all very different stages. I want to see as well the way they have looked after themselves, what they said they did and actually what they did and how they look. But I'm sure that will be all positive surprises."
Arsenal's next five fixtures are Como at home in pre-season on 12 August, Manchester City at a neutral venue in the Community Shield on 16 August, Coventry City at home in the Premier League on 21 August, Aston Villa away on 31 August, and Chelsea at home on 6 August.
Liverpool squander a two-goal lead against Monaco
Liverpool led 2-0 at Anfield after goals from Alexander Isak in the 16th minute and Florian Wirtz in the 29th. Isak's opener came after Ryan Gravenberch's lay-off, which he finished right-footed from 18 yards.
Football news reporter Bobby Manzi wrote that the move involved five one-touch passes releasing Isak into space in the penalty area, calling it "a hallmark of an Iraola team, playing into Isak's strengths as a lethal finisher and intelligent mover." Manzi said Isak was far more involved in play under new manager Andoni Iraola than he had been under previous boss Arne Slot.
Monaco pulled a goal back before half time through a Golovin penalty in the 43rd minute, leaving Liverpool 2-1 up at the break.
Isak had done little to justify his British-record £125million transfer fee since joining from Newcastle United last summer, while Wirtz, signed for a similarly high fee, had bright spells but was widely seen as below expectations. Liverpool spent almost £250million on the pair last season.
Monaco complete the comeback
Monaco equalised through Biereth in the 56th minute before Brunner scored the winner in the 87th minute, sealing a 3-2 victory.
Liverpool have now allowed opponents to come back from two goals down in successive pre-season matches, a pattern that also occurred repeatedly under Arne Slot last season.
Andoni Iraola led his players on a lap of honour around Anfield after the final whistle, in what was his first match in charge of Liverpool at the stadium.
Full pre-season scoreboard
Elsewhere in pre-season on the same day, Manchester City beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 and Johor Darul Ta'zim drew 3-3 with Chelsea, alongside Arsenal's 2-3 loss to Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool's 2-3 loss to Monaco.
