Iraola praises Liverpool’s ‘energy’ after League Cup win over Tottenham

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola praised his side’s performance after they beat Tottenham 3-1 in the English League Cup to reach the last 16.

Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai scored for the Reds, while Conor Gallagher replied for Tottenham.

Speaking to ITV Sport, Iraola said the match had been played in several distinct phases, with Liverpool taking control early before Tottenham began to threaten from set-pieces.

“I think the game went through different stages,” the Spaniard said. “We pressed strongly and then took the lead, but once we went ahead, they got closer to our areas, especially from set-pieces, which caused us problems. I think we put in a good performance.”

Iraola also highlighted the intensity shown by his players during the stronger periods of the match.

“I felt the team’s enthusiasm during the good spells today,” he added. “There was a lot of energy and excitement from everyone. The performance was close to the level we want.”

Tottenham’s goal ended their run without scoring this season, having failed to find the net in their previous four Premier League matches.

Omar Marmoush started for Tottenham and is still waiting for his first goal. The result means the club were eliminated by Liverpool, who progressed to the last 16 of the competition.

Iraola will return to Bournemouth next week and expects a difficult test against his former side.

“I know it will be a very tough game,” he said. “Look at how many matches they have lost during the season. It is a difficult place to play. To win there, you have to be really good.”

The Liverpool manager was also asked about Szoboszlai’s powerful long-range goal, which completed the scoring.

“I think what makes Szoboszlai special is that whenever he shoots, he has a chance of scoring,” Iraola said. “With him, you trust him because he has done it before. He is a great goalscorer.”