Liverpool heads into the international break still unbeaten after picking up its second league win of the season at Bournemouth, but Andoni Iraola will really have his work cut out for him next month
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Andoni Iraola, Manager of Liverpool, looks on before the Premier League 2026/27 match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at Vitality Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola(Image: Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola can be fairly pleased with the start he has made as Liverpool head coach - although even bigger tests await him after the international break.
The Spaniard remains unbeaten since taking charge at Anfield following the firing of Arne Slot during the summer, with Sunday’s win over his former club Bournemouth seeing him claim his fourth victory in all competitions, and second in the Premier League.
Iraola will now be without the majority of his players for nearly three weeks as the extended international break begins, with the Liverpool boss keeping his fingers crossed that they get through their countries' fixtures unscathed.
Liverpool is now not in action until October 11, but things will start getting serious for the Reds then as Iraola faces his biggest challenge yet.
The first game back sees Liverpool hosting Manchester City at Anfield, with Enzo Maresca’s side having set the early pace in the title race after winning all five of their league games so far.
From there, the Reds will travel to Austria to take on LASK in the Champions League, with another tricky test awaiting back in the Premier League thereafter as they travel to Brentford. There’s another European tie after that as they host Villarreal at Anfield, before Brighton makes the journey to Merseyside a few days later.
Liverpool next 5 fixtures (all competitions)
Man City (H) - Premier League, October 11
LASK (A) - Champions League, Ocotber 14
Brentford (A) - Premier League, October 17
Villarreal (H) - Champions League, October 20
Brighton (H) - Premier League, October 25
Looking solely at the Premier League, Liverpool really has its work cut out for itself after the international break as it is set to face each of the current top four in its next few fixtures.
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After those games against City, Brentford and Brighton, the Reds will host defending champions Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta's side aiming to bounce back after suffering a first defeat of the season at the weekend - and a comprehensive loss at that against the Seagulls.
And it doesn't get any easier thereafter, with a tricky trip to Crystal Palace awaiting the week after. The Eagles have only taken four points so far, but Liverpool fans will know how much they've suffered at the hands of Palace in recent games.
Liverpool next 5 fixtures (Premier League)
Man City (H) October 11
Brentford (A) October 17
Brighton (H) October 25
Arsenal (H) November 1
Crystal Palace (A) November 7
Giving his thoughts on his side's start to the season, Iraola said after Sunday's win over Bournemouth: "I think overall we've improved, definitely since the first games.
"Some of the things we still need to improve, more things. I am happy it is the third clean sheet in a row in the league. Today is a kind of difficult game, I knew you never play comfortably here. Bournemouth don't allow you to play comfortably normally, they put you under pressure and you have to adapt and you have to win this kind of game.
"But we still have to get ready because the schedule that we have now, it's very difficult. I think we are playing against top-four teams and then in between Champions [League] and then in between Chelsea in the Carabao [Cup] and everything in two, three days. So we have to get ready because this next month, after this break, it's going be very demanding for us."