Iraola backs Barcola ahead of City clash as Liverpool eye Nottingham Forest defender Murillo

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has moved to defend summer signing Bradley Barcola ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester City at Anfield, insisting the 24-year-old is not in poor form despite a difficult international break with France.

Barcola drew sharp criticism after Monday’s 4-1 UEFA Nations League win over Belgium, but Iraola pushed back on the narrative. “I don’t think he’s in a bad moment,” the Bournemouth head coach said. “The problem with wingers or strikers is if they don’t score a goal, ‘They haven’t played well.’ We have to see the games, we have to watch. I said it the first game against Atletico Madrid, he missed two or three quite clear chances. I don’t care, honestly. I care but I want him to be there.”

The defence of Barcola is notable given Iraola’s injury concerns heading into the City fixture. Both Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are sidelined, leaving Barcola as one of the key attacking outlets against a Manchester City side that has taken maximum points from their opening five league games. Iraola offered similar public backing to Florian Wirtz just a month ago as the German international struggled to justify his transfer fee.

The backdrop to Sunday’s match carries unusual weight. City were recently found guilty of breaching 114 Premier League financial regulations, with potential sanctions ranging from a points deduction to expulsion from the league and even the retrospective removal of titles — a scenario that could theoretically increase Liverpool’s own tally of 20 league championships.

Separately, Liverpool are reported to be among a group of top clubs monitoring Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo. The 24-year-old Brazilian has made over 100 appearances since joining Forest from Corinthians in 2023 and has emerged as one of the division’s more dependable defenders. According to TeamTalk, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea have all registered an interest.

Murillo signed a new contract in the summer that runs until 2030, and Forest are understood to require an exceptional offer before considering a sale. With Virgil van Dijk in the latter stages of his career, Liverpool’s interest in a long-term successor at centre-back is understandable, though any move before the January window would face significant resistance from the City Ground.