More dropped points at Anfield: is it too early for Liverpool and Iraola to worry?

Two Premier League matches at Anfield, two draws. Liverpool were held 0-0 by Fulham on Saturday and, for only the third time in 63 years, have failed to win either of their opening home league games. Andoni Iraola remains unbeaten as Liverpool boss, but three draws from four Premier League matches is hardly the flying start the new manager would have dreamed of, especially after such an encouraging midweek display against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

A flat 0-0 against Fulham after the Atletico Madrid high

Liverpool drew 0-0 with Fulham at Anfield just days after a performance against Atletico Madrid that was full of urgency and intent. The contrast was stark: sharp and aggressive in midweek, slow and short of ideas on Saturday afternoon.

Fulham arrived on Merseyside low on confidence and having conceded heavily in recent weeks, yet left with a point without ever being seriously stretched. For a club that has built its identity on making Anfield a fortress, that is an uncomfortable early-season truth.

Three draws in four: the numbers behind the slow start

Liverpool are unbeaten, but three draws from four Premier League games means points have already slipped away in a title race that is usually decided by fine margins. The last time the Reds began a home campaign this sluggishly, the club was in a very different place.

The issue is not defensive. Liverpool kept a clean sheet against Fulham. The problem is at the other end, where a side used to blowing teams away at Anfield has struggled to turn dominance into goals against a low block.

Iraola’s Bournemouth blueprint meets Anfield expectations

Iraola arrived from Bournemouth with a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most distinctive coaches, built on a high press and quick transitions. The Atletico performance showed that plan can work against teams willing to engage.

Fulham showed the other side of the challenge: opponents who sit deep and force Liverpool to be patient. Adapting a pressing-based system to the weekly reality of being the team every visitor parks the bus against is the biggest tactical question of Iraola’s early reign.

Too early to worry? What comes next for Liverpool

Four games do not define a season, and Liverpool have not lost. Any new manager deserves time to embed his principles in a squad shaped by a different approach.

But Anfield is the club’s barometer, and two home draws in a row will sharpen the scrutiny from both media and supporters. The next home fixture already feels like an early credibility test, and a win would go a long way towards silencing the doubts before they take hold.

FAQ