Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has been speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup clash at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Andoni Iraola, head coach of Liverpool, looks on during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Fulham at Anfield on September 12, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola, head coach of Liverpool, reacts during the Premier League match against Fulham at Anfield on Saturday(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Andoni Iraola has demanded his Liverpool forwards make life easier for the midfield amid continued criticism of the engine room this season.
Both Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were way below par during the dismal goalless Premier League draw at home to Fulham on Saturday evening, winning only three of 14 ground duels.
Liverpool's midfield has been the source of much debate since Iraola assumed control, with the Reds boss ready to rotate his resources again for Tuesday's Carabao Cup third-round visit of Tottenham Hotspur with Alexis Mac Allister and teenager Trey Nyoni pressing for a start.
But Iraola believes whoever plays as the midfield duo will benefit from greater pressing from those operating ahead of them.
"It's not a matter of not just the midfielders," said the Liverpool boss. "When we have been good collectively the midfielders have looked a lot better and recovered more balls.
"It's not because they are winning duels that they play better, it's because we are helping them more to win the duels.
"If the ones up front do their job very well then the defenders and midfielders look good.
"If we are allowing them to defend one-v-one all the time and we are not aggressive, then also our defenders will struggle. If the players ahead of you are doing their job then you look a better midfielder or defender because you win more easier duels, you have more chance of winning one.
"It is more collective. It's isn't about changing this player for that player. That's the help we have to give to our defenders and midfielders so everyone looks better, looks smarter and are in better positions."
Liverpool had gone into the weekend on the back of successive victories at Ipswich Town in the Premier League and at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
And Iraola added: "Compared to previous games, we won the ball a lot lower in the pitch. We don't concede a lot, and the only big chance we conceded was our goal kick we messed up.
"But we were recovering the ball always very low and when that happens you have to attack against 11 players and that makes it more difficult to make the difference.
"In previous games we could win it a lot higher and use our quick transitions to attack against less players and use better the space. That is key to our system.
"We need to recover the ball as high as possible because it makes the offensive side a lot easier, and we have more situations to attack in one-v-one."