New boss Iraola aiming to re-ignite Liverpool challenge as new season looms

Aug 14 : New Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola will hope his brand of high-octane attacking football can banish memories of an expensive squad that underperformed in failing to retain the title last term and are seeking to return to the Premier League summit.

The new campaign gets under way on August 21 when champions Arsenal host promoted Coventry City, with Liverpool’s first game at Newcastle United two days later giving their fans the first chance to see what their Spanish boss can do at the helm.

"We have to be a team that works hard, intense, aggressive, vertical so everyone can be identified, everyone can feel comfortable supporting this team,” former Bournemouth manager Iraola told a press conference in June when he was appointed.

The style of football preferred by the 44-year-old, where the ball is passed forward as quickly as possible, is likely to appeal to Liverpool fans brought up on swashbuckling sides that have seen plenty of league success in recent years, winning the title in 2020 and 2025 after decades in the doldrums.  

His predecessor Arne Slot replaced Juergen Klopp in 2024 and Liverpool were crowned champions in the Dutchman's first season in charge but a splurge of around £400 million ($539.88 million) prior to last season did little to improve the team.

After a shocking run of six defeats in seven league games between September and November 2025, Liverpool eventually finished a disappointing fifth in the table, a whopping 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

That was enough to see Slot shown the door on May 30 with Iraola appointed a few days after the Dutchman's dismissal, but there is still plenty of turbulence for the Spaniard to deal with. 

The Merseysiders will be without talismanic Egypt forward Mohamed