Liverpool's Early Struggles Under Andoni Iraola Highlight Arne Slot's Legacy
As Andoni Iraola navigates his opening matches as Liverpool manager, comparisons to his predecessor Arne Slot reveal a nearly identical points tally and renewed scrutiny over the club's direction.
Liverpool enters the November international break sitting fourth in the Premier League standings after 10 matches, accumulating 18 points under current manager Andoni Iraola. This identical start to last season under former manager Arne Slot has sparked widespread debate among supporters and analysts regarding whether the team has genuinely improved since the summer coaching change.
Slot was dismissed by the Reds despite guiding them to the 2024-25 Premier League title in his debut campaign, a historic season defined by an incredible run where he became the first manager in club history to win 11 of his first 12 matches. However, a severe dip in form during his second year led to his departure, paving the way for Iraola to take charge of a significantly altered squad.
Despite high expectations, Iraola has struggled to surpass Slot's early benchmarks. By almost every basic metric from the same stage last season, Slot's team was performing better: they sat one position higher in the table, were closer to league leaders Arsenal, and had scored more goals, netting 18 compared to Iraola's 14. Furthermore, Slot's squad had managed a victory against Arsenal at Anfield, a fixture the Reds recently lost 1-0.
Nevertheless, Iraola's side has demonstrated certain defensive improvements within domestic competition. The current squad has conceded only 10 goals in the Premier League this season, four fewer than Slot's team allowed at the exact same juncture. Additionally, Iraola's Reds have proven more difficult to defeat domestically, losing only twice in their opening 10 matches compared to Slot's four losses during the turbulent 2025-26 campaign.
Recent weeks, however, have introduced mounting pressure following consecutive losses. A 1-0 defeat against Arsenal at Anfield—where Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target for the first time in over two decades—was swiftly followed by a 3-2 defeat away to Fenerbahçe in the Champions League. These back-to-back losses marked the first losing streak of Iraola's tenure and surpassed the number of defeats Slot suffered across his entire opening 15 matches.
Reflecting on the shifting moods around the club, Iraola emphasized the importance of maintaining perspective amid fluctuating results. Speaking after the recent setbacks, the Spanish manager noted that the team experiences highs and lows just like any other campaign. "There are moments when you are in a good run like we were before Arsenal, now you lose two games and there are always doubts. But I understand, as a supporter I would do the same, it's normal," Iraola said. He added, "We are not as bad as we look today, we are not as good as we looked one week ago, and we have to have some perspective."
While the long-term trajectory of Iraola's tenure remains to be seen, the current statistics suggest that any progress at Anfield has been marginal at best. For Slot, looking back at how the club has fared since his departure, the comparison offers a complex mix of vindication and lingering frustration over his abrupt exit.