Andoni Iraola urges Liverpool to keep perspective after back-to-back defeats

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has called on his players to respond immediately at Crystal Palace on Sunday after consecutive defeats against Arsenal and Fenerbahce changed the mood around Anfield.

The Reds were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal in the Premier League last week, a result which left them nine points behind the leaders. Three days later, they lost their opening Champions League match of the campaign against Fenerbahce in Turkey.

Iraola accepted that the two results had affected the atmosphere at the club, but said Liverpool could not allow the setbacks to distort their assessment of the team’s progress.

“One week ago in this press conference, we were on a run, everything was in a good place, and we were in a better mood,” Iraola told reporters on Friday.

“And now, two defeats, it changes, and it has to change. It has to be like this, in clubs like ours. And now we have to react. After two defeats, we need the win against Palace away.”

The Spaniard took charge in June after replacing Arne Slot and acknowledged that fluctuating results were an expected part of his first season managing Liverpool.

While he said the response to defeat had to be immediate, Iraola warned against judging the side’s overall development solely on the basis of the two latest performances.

Liverpool’s visit to Crystal Palace represents an opportunity to halt that run, with Iraola stressing the importance of returning to winning ways away from home.

“When we lose a game everyone is angry but we have to have some perspective and we know in the process there will be ups and downs,” he said.

“We are not as bad as we look today, we were not as good as we looked one week ago and we have to have some perspective.”