Liverpool boss Iraola on beating Brighton and Wirtz injury worry

Andoni Iraola has played down fears over Florian Wirtz after the Liverpool midfielder was forced off with an ankle problem during the 2-0 win over Brighton.

Wirtz will now be assessed by the club’s medical team, but Iraola said the early signs suggest the injury is not serious.

“Unfortunately, he had to leave the pitch with a small twist of the ankle,” Iraola said.

“It doesn’t look very big but we are playing every three days so we need to see where he is.”

The victory extended Liverpool’s winning run to four games, with Iraola particularly pleased by the way his side started.

“Very happy for today, very happy overall for these four wins,” he said.

“I think we had today a very good opposition in front, similar to Villarreal the other day – teams that technically are really good.

“It’s difficult to defend them a lot of times. I think today the key was how we started.

“We needed a stronger start, be aggressive, recover the ball, win our duels, be dangerous in transitions.

“I think we’ve done it and it has been a different game from the last ones, where we’ve conceded first and after you need a comeback.

“Today, I think we’ve started better and the game has gone differently.”

Iraola also praised Alexander Isak and believes the striker will continue to score if Liverpool can provide him with the right service.

“He’s a striker, if we can put him in those positions, we can provide him with crosses, good situations, he will score the goals,” he said.

“I think it’s a matter of, in this case, Bradley [Barcola] winning the duel, going one-v-one, being faster than the opposition and finding good spots.”