IRAOLA SAYS LIVERPOOL TOOK A STEP BACKWARDS AGAINST FULHAM

Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's head coach, said his side took "a step backwards" in Saturday's goalless draw with Fulham. He said the display fell short of recent wins over Atletico Madrid and Ipswich Town. Iraola said Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai struggled to contain Fulham's midfield, but he blamed pressing from the front line rather than the midfielders alone. He said Liverpool won the ball lower on the pitch than usual and conceded only one clear chance, from a mishandled goal-kick. Iraola said better pressing from forwards would make defenders and midfielders "look smarter" and win duels more easily.

Gravenberch won two of five duels and Szoboszlai one of nine, according to figures Iraola cited. The result left Liverpool with three draws from their last four Premier League games. Iraola said the frustration was shared by his players and that fluctuating form was part of adapting to his tactical approach. He said the wins over Ipswich Town and Atletico Madrid had marked "a step forward" that Saturday's performance failed to match. He said he expected "ups and downs" as the squad adjusts, with consistency now the priority.

Liverpool face Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup third round, and Iraola indicated he will change his starting line-up. He confirmed Georgi Mamardashvili, whom he previously tried to sign while in charge of Bournemouth, will replace Alisson in goal. Trey Nyoni is competing for a midfield place, and the forward line of Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Víctor Muñoz is unlikely to be fielded unchanged. Iraola said he is still assessing which players can cope with matches every three days as Liverpool compete on four fronts this season.