Andoni Iraola insists his impressive record against Arsenal will not give him a leg up as he faces the Gunners for the first time since taking over Liverpool.
The Basque faced Arsenal six times in his previous role as Bournemouth manager, winning three and losing three. He was the architect of the Cherries’ shock 2-1 win at the Emirates in April, which briefly cast doubt on Mikel Arteta’s title hopes, and pulled off a league double over them in 2024/25.
He will have another opportunity to improve his record against the Arsenal on Sunday as they visit Anfield, but Iraola is adamant his good work at Bournemouth will not necessarily translate to Liverpool.
“It is a totally different team and moment,” he said on Friday. “We can't use the same things we used with Bournemouth here.”
One thing is certain, though. Iraola’s fine form with the Reds has then on a five-match winning run, which has the Anfield atmosphere back to its best after it took a downturn in the latter days of Arne Slot’s time with the club.
Iraola says that is more a product of Liverpool’s committed performances than their results: “At Anfield, everyone feels when the team are going for it and trying their best.
“Even when we lost, they have been there and helped us massively. We can create a special atmosphere."
The most recent result in Liverpool’s fine run came midweek as they knocked Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup on penalties.
The match finished 1-1 inside 90 minutes, with Chelsea’s goal coming from the spot after Ryan Gravenberch’s clumsy tackle on Moises Caicedo.
Iraola insisted he is unconcerned about the player’s inconsistent form: "He has had better games and worse games. We trust him and we know what he can produce. Like other players, when he doesn't play well, we try to help him improve. He is in a good place."