Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has been speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday evening
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on October 25, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola is preparing his side for a Carabao Cup contest with Chelsea(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Andoni Iraola admits he cannot afford to overthink his Liverpool team selection as he continues to grapple with an intense period.
The Reds play the sixth game in a spell of nine in 29 days when they welcome Chelsea for a blockbusting Carabao Cup fourth-round clash on Wednesday evening.
Liverpool then entertain Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday before travelling to Turkey to take on Fenerbahce the following Wednesday before a trip to Crystal Palace four days later.
And when asked if the relentless run of matches is forcing him to compromise his coaching ideals, Iraola said: "It is the same for everyone, you don’t have time, Chelsea doesn’t have time, Arsenal will not have time.
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"It makes a big difference if you have one more day or one less day. For example, against Brighton we were lucky even if Brighton brought a different team but at the end you cannot have the training specifically for that game so everything has to be done on the video in one or two days.
"Now it is the opposite against Chelsea, Arsenal, Palace definitely, we have some games where we have less time to rest than the opposition but you have to adapt.
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"Sometimes it is to your benefit, sometimes it goes against you like this week. It is a matter of adaptation and you cannot overthink: it analyse straight away what happened but in one hour (clicks fingers) the next game and you have to be ready for this."
Liverpool are expected to once again rotate their resources against Chelsea with Iraola having made at least three alterations to his starting line-up in each of the last nine games.
And the Reds head coach said: "There will definitely be changes but we want to win the game. We want to be competitive. We need to see how the legs are.
"We are not just in the Carabao Cup but also in the Champions League trying to make some changes from game to game as it's necessary.
"We want to be in the next round. We've been unlucky with the draw as we are playing Chelsea, but they have been unlucky also.
"We want to earn the right to be in the draw again and that only happens if you win."
Trent Alexander-Arnold right-back of Real Madrid and England during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 8, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold made a controversial move from Liverpool to Real Madrid (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)