Iraola Set to Rotate Liverpool Squad for Tottenham Carabao Cup Tie
Liverpool are set to give fringe players a chance in Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Tottenham Hotspur, with Andoni Iraola pleased with his squad despite the goalless draw at Fulham.
Key match details
| Item | Figure or date | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Next fixture | Tuesday night | Tottenham Hotspur at Liverpool, Carabao Cup third round |
| Recent result | 0-0 | Liverpool drew with Fulham |
| Midfield duels won | 3 of 14 | Combined return for Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch against Fulham |
| Fixture load | Three games in seven days | Spurs match continues a demanding run |
Iraola said supporters should expect to see players who have had limited opportunities when Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham visit. He insisted he retains faith in the group and said results can quickly alter perceptions of squad depth.
“I am very happy with the squad,” Iraola said. “When you win, everyone says the squad is excellent; when you do not, people see problems. There will be players tomorrow who we have not seen much of. I am excited to watch them because they can contribute and have not yet had their chance.”
The manager has also challenged Liverpool’s forwards to take greater responsibility without the ball after the Fulham stalemate. Much of the reaction centred on Szoboszlai and Gravenberch, whose combined three successful duels from 14 underlined Liverpool’s lack of control in midfield.
But Iraola believes the issue starts further forward. He wants his attackers to press earlier and help recover possession closer to the opposition goal, creating better attacking situations and easing the workload on the midfield pair.
“Winning it high makes attacking much easier,” he said. “We get one-against-one opportunities. It is not only about the midfield. When the whole team performs well, the midfielders recover more balls and appear much better because they are receiving help in their duels.”
Iraola made the same point about Liverpool’s defenders, warning that no back line can thrive if it is repeatedly left exposed in individual battles. Greater aggression from the players ahead of midfield, he said, would improve the positions and decision-making of both midfielders and defenders.
The Fulham draw came after a run of intense displays, with Iraola previously pointing to a lack of freshness for the drop in level. Tottenham now offer an immediate test of Liverpool’s rotation options and whether their front line can trigger the high press more effectively.
