Liverpool face big question after Man City ruthlessly expose major flaw
The Iraola Invincibles are no more. As Rayan Cherki’s impudently brilliant goal ensured that Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan remain the only two permanent Liverpool managers to go unbeaten in their first six league games in charge, a longer undefeated run was ended. Andoni Iraola had not tasted defeat in anything since a penalty shootout at Newcastle nine months ago, and not within 90 minutes since the third day of the year.
For those who like to affix asterisks – and they can abound at the moment – his Liverpool have not lost with a full complement of players. It was 0-0 when Ryan Gravenberch was sent off against Manchester City, 3-0 at the final whistle. “I think the analysis is quite clear,” said Iraola. “I think we played two different games: one until the red card, and one from the red card until the end.”
The league leaders always threatened to be a yardstick for Iraola’s work in progress. If differing conclusions could be reached, and if the verdict that City were guilty of 114 charges means Liverpool may not have to compare themselves against recent rivals for much longer, the final half-hour suggested there is a gulf.
Some of the mitigation for Liverpool came in the form of the casualty list. This was supposed to be a bad time for City to visit Anfield. Perhaps it became a good one, with even the seemingly indestructible Dominik Szoboszlai out, plus Liverpool missing both their top scorer this season and the man with the most assists, in Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo. No wonder, then, that City had more strength in depth and the catalytic substitute Jeremy Doku, who was involved in Gravenberch’s dismissal and, to varying degrees, in all three goals.
Gravenberch became a symbolic figure, too. The Dutchman was dropped after the opening draw at Newcastle, when he played an unwitting part in two goals Liverpool conceded; an attempt to halt a counter-attack instead brought his dismissal. He has made a poor start to the season, struggling to adapt to Iraola’s demands. He was having his best game under the Spaniard until, suddenly, his participation was curtailed.
That Iraola had midfield reinforcements, in Trey Nyoni, waiting to come on as Erling Haaland opened the scoring showed the damage of Gravenberch’s departure. It was testament, too, to City’s ruthlessness; Liverpool lacked that. On his maiden Premier League start, Lewis Koumas led the press with great energy but missed his two chances.
Comparing a rookie to Haaland feels unfair. Comparing the joint British record signing to him feels fairer and Isak’s absence was all too typical. Since his £125m move to Anfield, Liverpool have faced City four times. He has not played a minute in any of them. Haaland has scored six goals in those games.
It may be a simplistic statement to say that Liverpool spent huge sums on select players for them to decide major matches; in reality they were bought for many a reason and plenty of games. Yet, in various ways, it was not a good day for Liverpool’s three £100m men.
There were different damning comparisons for Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola. In each case, a City counterpart scored, in Cherki and Doku. Neither the German nor the Frenchman has struck this season; the £106m winger is still waiting for his first Liverpool goal. Wirtz was signed in preference to Cherki when Liverpool spoke to both; it is hard to escape the feeling they made the wrong choice.
Isak, Wirtz and Barcola represent a test of Liverpool’s strategy; it has not failed yet – particularly in the case of the man only bought six weeks ago – but it certainly has not succeeded. An alternative approach would have been to spread their budget more, pay less for their bigger buys and instead construct a deeper squad.
Liverpool’s has felt slim throughout Iraola’s tenure; it may not do when players such as Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley are back, along with Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai, though Iraola implied none will be fit for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against LASK and Gravenberch is banned for Saturday’s trip to Brentford.
But the faultlines in that squad were apparent for City’s third goal. Iraola had removed Ronald Araujo, perhaps a consequence of an early yellow card that irritated Liverpool. On came Jeremie Frimpong, who was duly sent sliding in the wrong direction by Cherki.
Whether, in the broader sense, Liverpool are headed in the right direction under Iraola remains to be seen. Anfield was energised by his high-paced football on Sunday. He has shown he can improve his team by taking decisive action, dropping Gravenberch after one game and Frimpong after two.
Arguably the two best performances, against Atletico Madrid and Tottenham, have come in other competitions, but Liverpool are only ninth in the Premier League. There was a new manager at Anfield on Sunday who has made a flying start, but he is Enzo Maresca.
