Liverpool fans gathered outside Anfield to welcome Andoni Iraola for his first home match in charge against Monaco. The atmosphere was electric, marking the beginning of a new era for the club. However, the excitement was tempered as Liverpool squandered a two-goal lead for the second consecutive match, raising concerns about squad depth.

Iraola reflected on the match, stating, "It was quite similar to the game we played against Leeds... Right now we probably don't have much more, in terms of the levels required to play like this. They deserved to turn around the game." He acknowledged that while the team won their first two pre-season games, they struggled to sustain high performance in the latter matches.

Key points from Iraola's comments include:

• Acknowledgment of fatigue impacting performance after substitutions.
• Need for improvement ahead of their upcoming matches.

With two pre-season games remaining, including a double-header against Como on 16 August, the team prepares for their Premier League opener against Newcastle in two weeks. A looming question remains about who will partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back.

Van Dijk returned to action alongside 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is expected to go on loan due to work permit issues. The match concluded with Luke Chambers and Wataru Endo filling in at centre-back.

Additionally, Ronald Araujo is nearing a season-long loan move from Barcelona, while Jeremy Jacquet is recovering from injuries. Iraola expressed optimism about Jacquet's potential return for the upcoming match against Como:

He should be fine for the next one. It's taking a bit more time than we were expecting.