Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said his side are unable to sustain the required levels of performance after they lost 3-2 to Monaco in a friendly at Anfield on Sunday. This result marks the second consecutive game in which the Reds have squandered a two-goal advantage, following a 4-2 loss to Leeds United in Chicago earlier this month, raising concerns about their readiness for the Premier League opener against Newcastle United on Aug. 23.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz put the hosts ahead early, but the team failed to preserve their lead. Monaco responded with an Aleksandr Golovin penalty and a goal from Mika Biereth to level the score, before Paris Brunner headed in a late winner. Iraola made 11 changes in the second half, which included a first Liverpool appearance for new signing Victor Munoz.
“I think (this was) quite similar to the game we played against Leeds,” said the 44-year-old Spaniard. “I think we played really good (in the) first half, especially the first 30 minutes, but right now probably we don’t have much more in terms of the level required to play like this.”
Iraola acknowledged that Monaco were the superior side in the second half and deserved the comeback victory. “We won the first two games but the last two, we cannot sustain the level that we want for all the game. As soon as we have made some changes they start to get tired, we cannot sustain that level, so we have work to do,” he added.
The match saw Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Cody Gakpo make their first appearances since the World Cup. “The problem is right now probably they don’t have the energy for 90 minutes and they start to get tired,” said Iraola, who took charge in June following the sacking of Arne Slot. “It will take time with them, we need more training. But we can take a lot of positives, but also a lot of negatives from today.”
Regarding new signing Jeremy Jacquet, who has been sidelined by a shoulder injury and a recent knee issue, Iraola confirmed a cautious approach. “We were in doubt whether to put him in the squad today, we decided not but he should be fine for the next one. It is taking a little bit more time than we expected,” he said.
