Iraola urges Liverpool fans not to look at the table too early

Iraola: “It’s still October”

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola said on Friday that he is pleased by the enthusiasm of fans who, after the team’s successful run, have begun dreaming of a Premier League title race, but he himself is not yet paying attention to the league table. “It’s still October. We have to go match by match, and I always say that the benchmark is roughly the point when we have played each other once, that is, the middle of the season. That’s when you can start looking at the standings,” — AFP quotes him as saying. In his view, the team now needs to improve its game and get better.

Context of the match against Arsenal

On Sunday, Liverpool host the reigning champions Arsenal at home. A win would cut Liverpool’s gap to the Londoners to three points: after a 2:0 victory over Everton, Arsenal drew level on points with leaders Manchester City. However, on Wednesday Arsenal suffered a painful setback, being knocked out of the League Cup on penalties by fourth-division Fleetwood. At the same time, Iraola noted the strength of the opponent: “We know Arsenal and how good they are. They have very good players who work a lot on their synchronisation, and we must be ready for that challenge.”

Winning streak and the coach’s caution

Liverpool are on a five-match winning streak in all competitions — a notable sign of the team’s progress in Iraola’s first season on Merseyside, where he arrived after the dismissal of Arne Slot, who had previously managed Bournemouth. The coach himself, however, urges caution: “That’s five wins in a row, but only two of them in the league. If we’re talking about the championship, we need many more wins to get points back.” Asked whether he is pleased by the fans’ growing optimism, the Spaniard replied: “It’s good for the supporters if they have expectations or think we can win.”