Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool
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Liverpool fans will appreciate what Paul Scholes had to say about Lewis Koumas despite Man City loss
Liverpool fans will appreciate what Paul Scholes had to say about Lewis Koumas despite Man City loss
Liverpool fans have every right to question Man City rivalry after Premier League findings
Liverpool fans have every right to question Man City rivalry after Premier League findings
Liverpool fans divided over what they saw after Ryan Gravenberch's Man City red card
Liverpool fans divided over what they saw after Ryan Gravenberch's Man City red card
Liverpool have an easy way to move on from Florian Wirtz but they can't do it just yet
Liverpool have an easy way to move on from Florian Wirtz but they can't do it just yet
Man City showed Liverpool exactly which two January signings they need to make to save their season
Man City showed Liverpool exactly which two January signings they need to make to save their season
Photo by Steven Halliwell/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Steven Halliwell/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
A graphic posing the question: "Where does Florian Wirtz go from here?" Image shows Florian Wirtz playing for Liverpool FC.
Credit: Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Brendan Rodgers
Liverpool fans display a banner reading “No legacy is so rich as honesty” above a row of trophy icons showing the club’s honours in the stands during the match during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
For some fans, that was the difference between the sides. Liverpool had chances to make the game more difficult for City but failed to take them, while Enzo Maresca’s team punished them when the opportunities came, extra man or not.
The red card was a major turning point, but it did not stop supporters asking why Liverpool had been unable to make more of their earlier openings, or create better chances from good positions.
Iraola’s decisions come under scrutiny
Andoni Iraola also came in for criticism, with some fans frustratedly questioning his tactics, substitutions and even his overall suitability for the role.
One supporter compared him with Unai Emery during his time at Arsenal, raising doubts about whether a manager who performs well at a smaller club can find the answers against the same opposition while managing a bigger side. Others pointed to squad depth and the need for Liverpool to adapt when a match is not going to plan.
Those are serious questions, but the comments were not a verdict shared by every supporter. The red card changed the circumstances considerably, making it difficult to separate criticism of the overall approach from the problems created by playing with ten men.
There was some praise amid the frustration. Victor Munoz was singled out positively, while Koumas was also commended for his effort, despite showing limited quality at times. With uncertainty over when Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo will be back available, Iraola will have to lean on them again amid a punishing fixture schedule.
A defeat that leaves questions unanswered
The financial charges involving Man City also inevitably surfaced in the comments, with some supporters expressing wider frustration with the context in which the game was played. But the main debate was about Liverpool: whether the sending-off had made an otherwise competitive game look worse than it was, or whether the team’s response exposed problems that were already there.
As ever, there is no clear consensus among the fans. Some saw a game changed by one flawed decision, others saw a side that competed well enough but failed to cope when the pressure increased and immediately showed their deficiencies.
For Iraola, the more pressing issue will be how Liverpool respond in their next matches. One defeat, particularly one shaped by a red card, cannot settle the bigger questions about tactics or squad depth, but the frustration in the reaction suggests that for some supporters, the performance gave them more to worry about than the final score alone.
Fans won’t have to wait long to see how Liverpool cope 11 against 11, with Wednesday’s Champions League trip to LASK and a crucial showdown with Brentford on Saturday hopefully providing some clearer answers.