Kerkez hails Iraola's aggressive style as Liverpool's new era takes shape

Milos Kerkez has offered his clearest assessment yet of how Andoni Iraola is reshaping Liverpool, saying the Spaniard’s aggressive, high-energy system is already a marked improvement on the style that defined — and ultimately undermined — Arne Slot’s troubled second season at Anfield.

Iraola was appointed this summer after Slot was dismissed following a bitterly disappointing campaign in which Liverpool’s trademark intensity dropped alarmingly and the high press became worryingly erratic. The Spaniard arrives with a reputation built over three impressive years at Bournemouth, where Kerkez worked under him before completing a £40 million move to Liverpool last summer.

“It’s a big difference, obviously,” Kerkez told the Liverpool Echo. “We play really aggressive. We need to run a lot more. It is good. It is tough, but if you want to compete at the top, you need to do that in the Champions League, the Premier League.”

Kerkez, who struggled to make the impact he had hoped for in his debut campaign at Anfield, believes Iraola’s methods suit him far better. “You can see I have more freedom to fly up and down. I’m really running more, with more freedom, putting more balls into boxes. The manager gave me confidence when I was in Bournemouth. We all have to do what he tells us to do — play aggressive, front-foot.”

Liverpool rounded off pre-season with a 2-0 win over Como, a result that provided a timely morale boost after high-scoring defeats against Leeds and Monaco. Both Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong completed 90 minutes at full-back, while Jeremy Jacquet impressed alongside Virgil van Dijk in central defence before new signing Ronald Araujo came on at half-time to help Alisson keep a clean sheet.

“Araujo when he came in second half was aggressive, made a few tackles,” Kerkez said. “JJ good. We were solid. We have to keep going next week.”

Liverpool open their 2026/27 Premier League campaign away at Newcastle on Sunday.