Liverpool beaten by Monaco as Iraola’s new-look side falter late

Andoni Iraola admitted Liverpool still have work to do after they surrendered a two-goal lead for the second successive match and lost to Monaco in a pre-season friendly at Anfield.

The defeat came in Iraola’s first home game as Liverpool manager, despite an extraordinary welcome from supporters who lined the streets around the stadium. A full house and an atmosphere of anticipation marked the beginning of a new era under the Spanish coach, but the excitement in the stands was not fully matched by the performance on the pitch.

Liverpool had already let a two-goal advantage slip in their previous match against Leeds. Against Monaco, the same weakness resurfaced after Iraola made a series of substitutions, raising concerns about the depth and quality of the squad’s replacements.

“It was exactly similar to the game we played against Leeds,” Iraola told the club’s television channel LFC TV, in comments reported by BBC Sport.

“We had a good first half, especially in the first 30 minutes. At the moment, maybe we don’t have more than that in terms of the levels required to perform like this. They deserved to turn the game around.”

Liverpool won their first two pre-season matches, but Iraola said the team had been unable to maintain the necessary intensity during the final two games.

“ We won the first two games of pre-season, but we haven’t been able to keep the required level throughout the last two matches. Once we made some changes, the fatigue started to show in the players, and we were no longer able to maintain that level.”

He added: “So, we still have work to do.”

Liverpool have two more pre-season fixtures remaining, both against Como on 16 August, before they begin their Premier League campaign. Their opening league match is against Newcastle in two weeks, with one of the main questions surrounding the side being who will partner captain Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.

Van Dijk returned to action against Monaco alongside Alisson Becker and Cody Gakpo after an extended period of rest following his participation in the World Cup. He started alongside 18-year-old defender Ivany Ndwick, who has impressed as a promising prospect but may have to spend the current season on loan because of work-permit issues.

Liverpool finished the match with Luke Chambers and Wataru Endo playing in central defence, underlining the need for further reinforcement in that area before the competitive season begins.

Ronald Araujo, 27, completed his medical on Sunday as his proposed season-long loan move to Liverpool from Barcelona moved closer to completion. The agreement includes an option to buy for about £47.2m.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet has not yet taken part in full training since joining Liverpool from Rennes. Jacquet suffered a shoulder injury in February and has also recently had a minor knee problem, although Liverpool are optimistic he can feature against Como at the weekend.

“We had doubts about playing Jeremy Jacquet. We decided not to use him, but he will be ready for the next game. It is taking a little longer than we expected,” Iraola said.

In his programme notes, Iraola told supporters he wanted to build a team with which they could form a genuine connection and take pride in what it produced on the pitch. He described the Monaco friendly as an important step towards that ambition.

The loss nevertheless exposed areas requiring attention, particularly Liverpool’s inability to retain their level once substitutions began to affect the team’s cohesion.

There were encouraging signs, however, in the performances of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. The pair are expected to be central to Liverpool’s plans after their combined £225m cost last summer.

Wirtz played behind Isak as the number 10, while the Sweden striker opened the scoring with a fine right-foot finish. Wirtz was Liverpool’s outstanding player and appeared to have scored the second goal, having also found the net against Leeds in Chicago, although it remained unclear who had the final touch.

“I think we agreed that both me and Flo [Florian Wirtz] touched the ball, but honestly I don’t know who got the first or last touch,” Isak told LFC TV after the match.

The incident highlighted the understanding developing between the two players, which could become one of Liverpool’s most important attacking weapons if Iraola can build a system that makes full use of their abilities.

Asked about working under Iraola, Isak said the atmosphere within the squad was positive and that the players were working hard to reach their best level before the season starts.

“It is really great. I feel the morale within the group is excellent, and we are all working hard to make sure things work out. We will make absolutely sure that we are fully ready when the season starts.”