Iraola warns Liverpool fans to expect more inconsistency as squad adapts to new style

Andoni Iraola has conceded that inconsistency is an unavoidable part of Liverpool’s transition under his management, speaking after Saturday’s flat 0-0 draw with Fulham at Anfield left supporters visibly frustrated.

The result was Liverpool’s third draw of the season and came just days after an encouraging comeback win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League — a contrast Iraola described as his most deflating experience since replacing Arne Slot in the summer.

“I think we were coming from two good games and we were considering it’s a step forward — Ipswich was a step forward and Atletico Madrid — and we wanted it to be another step forward,” Iraola said. “But no, it was a step backwards. The performance level is not like the other two. But this happens in football.”

The Spaniard stressed that the direction of travel remains clear, even if the path is uneven. “We have to accept that there are going to be ups and downs in the process, but we are clear where we want to go is more towards where we’ve been — Atletico Madrid, Ipswich — that’s more the style of football that we want. The key now is the consistency to perform like this.”

A congested fixture list will test that consistency immediately. Liverpool face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, the first of what could be a relentless run of matches across four competitions. Iraola admitted he is still identifying which players can sustain performances across back-to-back-to-back fixtures and which need more careful management.

“There are players who play every three days, they have no issues, they are very robust,” he said. “And there are other players where the risk is bigger, the performances are different. I have to learn who is ready to play three, four games in a row and who needs a rest so the performance level doesn’t get affected.”

He singled out summer signing Jeremy Jacquet as one player whose capacity for a gruelling schedule remains unknown. “If you ask me how Jeremy Jacquet is going to deal with playing every three days during two months, I don’t know because he hasn’t done it.”

On the injury front, Joe Gomez is in contention to make his first appearance of the campaign after returning to training from a pre-season muscle problem. However, right-back Conor Bradley remains a long way from a comeback following a serious knee injury, with Iraola offering little optimism over the Northern Ireland international’s timeline.