Andoni Iraola believes Liverpool need urgent improvement in the final third, although he is still largely pleased with what he has seen from his side so far.
Liverpool have won all three of their Champions League matches played and could move closer to qualification for the knockout stages with victory against Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Wednesday. Their 12 goals scored in Europe, though, have come in contrast to the 11 they have scored in nine Premier League games.
Iraola was encouraged by aspects of Sunday’s defeat against Arsenal, despite Liverpool failing to register a shot on target in a home league game for the first time since Opta records began in 2003-04.
“It is difficult when you lose but honestly I am happy with a lot of things from the other day,” the Liverpool manager said.
“But we still need to improve, especially attacking the box. A lot of times we were there with the numbers but we were not making the proper runs and waiting for second balls. We put Arsenal under pressure and they defended well but I liked a lot of things.”
Iraola rejected the suggestion that Liverpool’s stronger results in Europe and the Carabao Cup compared with the Premier League were a major concern at this stage of the season.
“We have had better results in the Champions League and Carabao Cup than the Premier League but it’s very early in the season for these comparisons,” he said.
Liverpool are aiming to reach 12 points and strengthen their chances of finishing in the top eight of the Champions League league phase, but Iraola warned that the atmosphere in Istanbul would make the task difficult.
“Champions League away games are difficult, especially in this stadium and this atmosphere. We have to be mentally very ready,” he said.
The Liverpool manager will be without Ryan Gravenberch, who has been left at home after reporting discomfort with a heel problem during the warm-up against Arsenal.
Fenerbahce will be led by Dirk Kuyt for the match, although the Turkish club announced on Tuesday night that former Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu would take over permanently. Kuyt, who played for Fenerbahce for three seasons after leaving Liverpool in 2012, returned to the club as assistant coach this summer before being appointed interim manager following Ismail Kartal’s resignation.
Kuyt said the focus should be on the club rather than his own return to European football as a manager.
“Tomorrow will be a very special occasion for me but, at the stage we are in, I’m not the important person. It’s about the club,” he said.
“We have really good players but we need to show up. Liverpool are an amazing team but so are Fenerbahce. If the fans show up, I think Europe will see how big this fanbase is.”
Iraola also confirmed he had neither requested nor received an explanation from Pro Ref over the decision not to award Liverpool a penalty for Jurrien Timber’s shirt-pull on Alexander Isak against Arsenal.
“I didn’t ask for an explanation and I haven’t received an explanation, no,” he said. “I told you what I thought about the penalties at the time but, honestly, I don’t have the time [to ask Pro Ref]. There is just two days between games and I have been preparing for Fenerbahce.”
