Andoni Iraola says Liverpool must turn Anfield into a winning venue again as they prepare to face Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Liverpool’s 2-1 victory against nine-man Brentford on Saturday moved them up to fifth in the Premier League, but they have not won at home in the league since Iraola took charge, drawing twice and losing once.
Their most recent match at Anfield ended in a 3-0 defeat by Manchester City. Liverpool’s only home victories this season have come in the Champions League, against Atletico Madrid, and the EFL Cup, where they beat Tottenham 3-1.
They have, however, won 15 of their past 16 home matches in the group or league stage of the Champions League. The sole exception was a 4-1 defeat by PSV under Arne Slot last November.
Iraola believes a positive result against Villarreal could provide the platform for Liverpool to improve their domestic form at Anfield.
“It is true that we have had better results away than at home, but it is just the beginning,” he said. “We had very good games, Atletico was a good game, Spurs was a very good game.
“If you ask me, I always prefer to play at home. I would 100% prefer to be playing at home. It is true that the demands of each game are different. We take it one by one.
“For me, now it is Villarreal, that’s it. It finishes there. Prepare and focus on that one. It is going to be demanding tomorrow, I know them very well and we need a performance like we had against Atletico.”
The Liverpool manager also praised Florian Wirtz after the Germany international produced an influential display against Brentford.
Wirtz created nine chances from open play in that match, the most by any player in a Premier League game since Sadio Mane also created nine for Liverpool against Burnley in January 2021.
He has now provided an assist in consecutive appearances for Liverpool for the first time, having also set up a goal against LASK in Europe the previous week.
“I think he is coming from two very good games, he played really well against LASK and the other day [against Brentford], I think he helped the team a lot, in possession and out of possession,” Iraola said.
“I hope we can keep him there. We analyse and scrutinise everything, but he has done well, it is fair to say that.”
Liverpool will be without Jeremie Frimpong for a period after he sustained a new muscle injury early in the Brentford match. Iraola does not expect the defender to return before the November international break.
Dominik Szoboszlai also went off injured, but his problem is a mild aggravation of an existing issue and has not worsened.
“I think they are different circumstances, Jeremie Frimpong has a new muscle injury. It happened, I think in the second or third minute that he was playing,” Iraola said.
“It’s difficult to predict. We will have to wait until he recovers but it is going to be difficult to have him back before the break.
“Dominik Szoboszlai is different, it is not a new injury. It hasn’t worsened, the injury, but we probably have to be a bit patient until he recovers fully. It is not like he has to wait a long time to come back, it is more or less the same situation he was in this past week.
“We need more patience with him, but I appreciate what he did the other day, to be available, want to contribute in a very difficult game that you know is going to be very physical. To put himself there and want to play, that speaks very well.”
