Attention for Andoni Iraola turns to the visit of Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, where he's been warned to avoid repeating a mistake from his Liverpool predeccesor
Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion
Andoni Iraola has enjoyed a promising start to his Liverpool career(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Liverpool are hitting their stride at the perfect moment and carrying serious momentum after stringing together back-to-back victories for the first time this season. Following hard-fought wins against Brentford and Brighton, the Reds have climbed into the top four thanks to a sharp resurgence in performance under Andoni Iraola.
Iraola now leads his side in their fourth round Carabao Cup clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Wednesday night - a competition Liverpool have won a record 11 times. As the Spaniard looks to keep this winning run alive, outside noise continues to swirl around the squad.
From the high-profile transfer speculation regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold's future to selection debates over how Iraola sets up his side against Xabi Alonso's Blues, the ECHO has rounded up the latest stories concerning the Reds.
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Iraola warned by Reds legend
Reds legend John Aldridge has warned Iraola against repeating the same approach Slot adopted during Liverpool's fourth-round Carabao Cup exit to Crystal Palace last season. The former striker has urged the Spaniard to resist the urge to make wholesale changes.
Back in October 2025, the Dutchman named eight teenagers, three of whom started, in a heavily rotated squad against the Eagles, who comfortably dispatched the inexperienced Reds 3-0 at Anfield.
Aldridge pointed to the depth and quality within Chelsea's squad as a primary reason why Iraola cannot risk fielding a weakened side at Anfield. The former striker wrote in his column for the ECHO: "We can't do that with Chelsea because they're out of Europe.
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"They need the cup, they need it, and they will come to Anfield and play their strongest side. We've got to match them and it's going to be tough. I'll tell you what, it's tough for the manager because we've got injuries and you want to keep the players fresh for the league and for Europe.
"I don't envy the manager, but we do want a cup run and you win this game and you're in the quarter-finals, so it's a tough one. It really is a tough one."
Trent return backed
Trent Alexander-Arnold looking on
Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled at Real Madrid (Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Jamie Carragher has revealed he would welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold making a sensational return to Liverpool. The 28-year-old has found it difficult to establish himself in the Spanish capital following his £10million transfer last summer.
He's managed only three league starts this season and has slipped to third in the right-back pecking order, behind Denzel Dumfries and Federico Valverde. His limited game time and the Reds' ongoing lack of creativity down the right flank has prompted Carragher to confess he'd embrace the England star's return to Anfield.
The pundit said on The Overlap: "I'd have him back. Give him plenty of stick, [because] I think he made a mistake. I think he made a big mistake. But, as I said, if something benefits Liverpool Football Club going forward...
"And when you think of the problems Liverpool have in terms of the right-back. Ronnie (Ronald Araujo) has been fantastic, but we do have a problem in terms of full-backs passing. We've definitely missed his creativity."