Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is set to change his team up when the Reds host Tottenham on Tuesday night, hinting at a first appearance since April for a forgotten Reds star.
It has been a solid but unspectacular start to life under the Spaniard on Merseyside, and Saturday’s goalless draw with Fulham felt like a genuine setback just days after the euphoria of beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Iraola didn’t hide his frustration when discussing the Fulham stalemate.
“Probably most frustrated I’ve been, yes,” he admitted. “The precedents were very good, it was in a week when we’d won two games and we wanted to continue that line with the third win.
“It’d be a push, moving forward. And it was a step backwards. We were not good enough, especially offensively. It was frustrating, yes.”
The Basque coach also pinpointed exactly why his side struggled to create in front of goal, pointing to Liverpool’s inability to win the ball back high up the pitch.
“Comparing to previous games, we won the ball a lot lower on the pitch,” he explained. “We didn’t concede a lot, the only chance we conceded was the goal kick that we messed up after we defended well but we recovered the ball always very low. When this happens you have to attack always against 11 players, and it is more difficult to make a difference.
“In previous games, we were able to win it a lot higher, then use our quick transitions to attack against fewer players, use the space better. This is key in our system, to recover the ball as high as possible because it makes the offensive side a lot easier. Situations to attack in one v ones, or against fewer, are less than if you recover in your half of the pitch.”
Given those comments, Liverpool fans can expect a side set up to press higher and be far more front-footed against Spurs than they were at the weekend.
Liverpool vs Tottenham team news
On the team news front, Iraola revealed Joe Gomez is fit, in full training and on course to feature against Spurs.
The manager also gave an update on Conor Bradley’s recovery from injury, and it doesn’t sound like the full-back is close to a return. “I think that he is not close to training with the team,” he said. “He is training alone but he has started touching the ball. I want him as quickly as possible.
It was better news for Italian defender Giovanni Leoni however, who is set to return to first-team training soon: “With these long term injuries, I think Leoni is a little ahead of him. It is still going to take some time for Conor.”
One change the manager will definitely make is in goal, revealing his admiration for Giorgi Mamardashvili.
“I rate Giorgi very highly, I know him from Spain. We tried to sign him for Bournemouth before I came here. For me, he’s a very good keeper and he’s going to start.”
It’ll be Mamardashvili’s first appearance of the season having been an unused substitute so far, with his last game in a Reds shirt the 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup back in April.
The Georgian, who is a huge presence between the sticks at 6 foot 6, was signed off the back of a stunning Euro 2024, where his 21 saves across the group stage were the joint-most by any goalkeeper in the tournament’s history, a display that persuaded Liverpool to beat Newcastle to his signature from Valencia.
The 25 year-old underwhelmed when afforded opportunities last season, but Tuesday’s cup clash would be a timley opportunity to prove Iraola’s praise right.
Alisson’s contract runs out in 2027, and with highly-rated youngster Lucca Brughmans set to join from Genk in the same summer, Mamardashvili may have few chances left to prove he should be the one to succeed the Brazilian.
Predicted Liverpool XI vs Tottenham
|
Position |
Player |
|---|---|
|
GK |
Mamardashvili |
|
RB |
Frimpong |
|
CB |
Endo |
|
CB |
Gomez |
|
LB |
Kerkez |
|
CM |
Nyoni |
|
CM |
Mac Allister |
|
RW |
Ngumoha |
|
AM |
Wirtz |
|
LW |
Gakpo |
|
ST |
Koumas |