Iraola says Anfield atmosphere gives Liverpool ‘big advantage’ against Arsenal

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola says the atmosphere at Anfield can provide his side with a significant advantage when they host Arsenal on Sunday, 01 November 2026, but insists it is far too early to assess the Premier League title race.

Liverpool are fourth with 15 points, while defending champions Arsenal are second on 21 points, behind leaders Manchester City on goal difference. The fixture is part of the ninth round of Premier League matches.

“We must be ready for a very difficult game,” Iraola told reporters at Friday’s news conference, as quoted by Sky Sports. “It is much too early to start looking at the table. We know Arsenal and how good they are, with excellent players who work extremely hard.

“We have to be prepared for the challenge. I trust our players and I trust ourselves. The atmosphere on Sunday will be great and I hope we can perform at the level required.”

Iraola was responding to former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher’s assessment that Liverpool are Arsenal’s closest challengers for the title. The Spaniard said the teams should not draw firm conclusions about the standings until the season is further advanced.

“I have said this before: we are still in October and we have to take each game as it comes,” he said. “Usually, the first proper reference is around the middle of the season, after everyone has played each other once. That is when you can begin to examine the table.

“Right now, we are in a position where we need to improve and keep developing.”

Iraola will come up against his friend Mikel Arteta, having faced another familiar figure in Xabi Alonso the previous week.

“Last week it was Xabi and now it is Mikel,” he said. “There have been a lot of old friends in the opposition dugouts recently. It is nice to spend five or 10 minutes with them after the game, but I know Mikel will make the match very difficult for us.

“It is good that supporters have expectations and believe we can win, but if you ask me, it is still very early in the season.”

The former Bournemouth manager also played down Liverpool’s previous success against Arsenal during his time at the club.

“It is true that we had good results against Arsenal with Bournemouth, but that does not mean much,” Iraola said. “This is a completely different team, with different players and in a different moment. We cannot use the same tools as before. We need different ones and must use our players in the best possible way while trusting them.”

He identified individual duels, running, aerial contests, set-pieces and small details as decisive factors. Arsenal, he added, had lost only once this season and were in an excellent position.

Iraola said Liverpool could no longer approach matches as underdogs, but welcomed the expectations placed on the team. He expects the decisive moments to come inside the penalty areas, with both teams defending strongly.

“Anfield gives us a big advantage,” he said. “When everyone sees the team giving everything, the supporters back us enormously, even when we have been behind in recent matches. The atmosphere we can create here is magical and exceptional.”

On Ryan Gravenberch, Iraola said the midfielder had produced both strong and less effective performances this season and had recently played many minutes. Liverpool trusted him and would help him improve areas requiring attention.

Iraola also said Liverpool were managing the busy schedule through regular rotation. Although his European coaching experience was limited to the Europa League, he was accustomed to travelling and arriving at 3am from his playing career. He added that the players were used to the demanding schedule and that the approach was working well, while there was always room for further improvement.