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Andoni Iraola escaped defeat on his Anfield debut as Liverpool manager thanks to Victor Munoz's strike that salvaged a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. Forest were set to win at Anfield for the third consecutive season on Saturday as Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White's penalty twice put the visitors in front.Alexander Isak briefly brought Liverpool level in the second half before Munoz's deflected effort rescued a late point for the second time in Iraola's two matches in charge. "It's quite clear the first half has been poor, we haven't controlled the game," said Iraola. "We improved a lot in the second half, much more intense, much quicker on the ball but not enough to win the game."Liverpool will hope to have Bradley Barcola to unleash by the time they are next in action at Ipswich on Friday. The French winger has been one of the Reds' top targets for months and a £106 million ($144 million) deal with Paris Saint-Germain, which could rise by a further £17 million, is reportedly close to completion.Iraola said he was hoping for a special day to mark his first match in charge at the club's iconic home, but instead got a reminder of why he was given the chance to replace the sacked Arne Slot. The Dutchman led Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title in the 2024/25 campaign but was dismissed after finishing fifth last season.A record £450 million outlay on new signings 12 months ago continues to bear little return on investment as full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were subbed off, while Isak and Florian Wirtz again struggled to make the impact expected for enormous transfer fees.And Liverpool remain brittle at the back as a Forest side that failed to score in their opening two games under Oliver Glasner created an abundance of chances. "There are two emotions I think," said Glasner. "Very proud of the performance and how we played, scoring two goals, but we all feel frustrated about the result because we have the feeling it could and should have been a win."Jeremy Jacquet had to produce a brilliant last-ditch block to deny Igor Jesus, and Ndoye headed narrowly wide before Forest took the lead on 24 minutes. Liverpool were a shambles at the back as a long punt forward saw Jesus bear down on goal. He was eventually dispossessed, but Gibbs-White teed up Ndoye to find the far corner.In keeping with his Liverpool career to date, Wirtz showed flashes of brilliance without stamping his authority on the game. The German playmaker was denied an equaliser when his goal was ruled out for offside against Frimpong in the build-up. At the other end a vital save from Alisson denied Ndoye a second in first-half stoppage time.Barcola's impending arrival could spell the end of Cody Gakpo's time at Anfield with Tottenham and Manchester City interested in the Dutch international. But Gakpo has been Liverpool's most effective forward in the opening two games of the season.His inch-perfect cross left Isak with a simple task of tapping home for the equaliser on the hour mark. Yet just as the home side were beginning the build momentum, they were struck by a sucker punch. Forest's new signing Liam Delap's quickly taken throw-in caught the Liverpool defence sleeping and Neco Williams was wiped out by Alisson as the goalkeeper raced off his line.Gibbs-White coolly sent the Brazilian number one the wrong way from the penalty spot to restore Forest's lead. Iraola emptied his bench to find a response and the decision to sacrifice Gakpo instead of Munoz paid off. Wirtz thread the eye of a needle with a through ball for the Spanish international, who blasted in off the crossbar for his first goal since joining from Osasuna. 

Andoni Iraola said on Monday he wants to enjoy the "magic" linked with being the manager of Liverpool but is determined his Anfield appointment does not change him fundamentally.The former Bournemouth boss is well aware of the magnitude of the position he holds, with Liverpool's demand for success exemplified by the fact he arrived in Merseyside as a result of the six-time European champions sacking Arne Slot a year after the Dutchman led the club to the Premier League title."Until I go through certain experiences I will not fully know but I'm here to experience those situations, I'm ready for it," said the 44-year-old Iraola in his first press conference as Liverpool manager."I understand this is a massive club. Everything that I'm going to say now, it's going to get the biggest scrutiny. You have to be very aware of the mistakes but I wouldn't like to be too careful.""I would like to act quite normal: I'm not going live in my bubble - just training ground, home. I would like also to go to the city, experience the city - I know some places."But it's part also of the magic of being the Liverpool manager and I would like not to change too much," the Spaniard added.Liverpool finished a disappointing fifth in the Premier League table last season, losing 12 matches, and Iraola understands the need to refresh his squad following the recent departures of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson."Obviously we've signed two players already (centre-back Jeremy Jacquet and winger Victor Munoz) but we need more players, we know this."As a coach, selfishly, I want the players here from day one ready to train for pre-season but understand football doesn't work like this. I know the club is working hard for those signings and I'm trying to help also."Iraola, meanwhile, wants to restore trust with fans frustrated by the team's performances under Slot by providing the kind of attacking football not seen at Anfield since the end of Jurgen Klopp's reign in 2024."I would like to give them a team that they can feel proud of," he said. "I think football - and especially Liverpool - is about connecting: connecting with the people, connecting with our supporters."We have to be a team that works hard, intense, aggressive, vertical so everyone can be identified and everyone can feel comfortable supporting this team." 

Liverpool sacked manager Arne Slot on Saturday, saying the club were seeking a “change of direction”, after a disastrous defence of their Premier League title. The Reds finished fifth in the table, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, despite spending a Premier League record of nearly £450mn ($605mn) on new players in one transfer window last year. Outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is reportedly set to take over at Anfield after leading the Cherries into Europe for the first time in the club’s history. Just over a year ago Slot was heralded as a hero after taking on the daunting role of succeeding Jurgen Klopp and leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title in his debut season in charge. Yet fans turned on the Dutchman this season after a series of lacklustre performances. There was also sign of dressing room disharmony, most notably from Mohamed Salah on his way out of the club. In an explosive social media post earlier this month, which was liked by multiple members of the Liverpool squad, Salah called for a return to “heavy metal football”, referring to Klopp’s high energy style of play, in a perceived dig at Slot’s more cautious approach. Liverpool’s return of 60 points was their lowest since the 2015/16 season. Despite their troubles, it had been reported that Slot would be handed a stay of execution after securing Champions League qualification. However, the club’s owners, the American-based Fenway Sports Group, have succumbed to fan pressure to axe the former Feyenoord boss. “We have collectively come to the conclusion that change is necessary in order for the club to keep moving forward. Again, it must be stressed that this is not a decision which has been reached lightly, anything but,” the club said in a statement. “The conclusion we have come to is built on a belief that the team’s trajectory is best addressed through a change of direction. That does not diminish the work Arne has done here, or the respect we have for him. Nor is it a reflection of his talents. Rather, it is indicative of the need for a different approach. “Arne leaves with our gratitude, with a Premier League title to his name, and with the knowledge that he and his family will always be welcomed back at Anfield.” Liverpool added that “the process to appoint a successor is under way”. Many fans were keen for the return of Xabi Alonso to Anfield, but the club’s former midfielder will instead take charge of Chelsea next season. Iraola’s stock is high after an 18-game unbeaten league run to finish the campaign in sixth, just three points behind Liverpool despite vastly inferior resources. The Spaniard also worked together with Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, who previously held a similar role at Bournemouth. Slot ultimately paid for failing to get a return on Liverpool’s huge investment last summer. British transfer record signing Alexander Isak was beset by fitness problems, while Florian Wirtz struggled with the transition to the Premier League after a £100 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.Slot, though, also had to deal with emotional turmoil caused by the death of forward Diogo Jota in a car accident in July.  

Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp says it is "theoretically possible" he could return to the Anfield hot seat one day, but he is convinced current boss Arne Slot will guide the club through the rough patch they are going through.Klopp left Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season after leading the Merseyside club to almost every major honour during his nine-year spell, including Champions League and Premier League triumphs. The 58-year-old German was succeeded by Slot, who became the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League."I said I will never coach a different team in England so that means if (I go back), then it's Liverpool. So yeah, theoretically it's possible," Klopp said. However, he said he is content in his current role as head of global soccer for Red Bull."I love what I do now. I don't miss coaching. I do coach but it's just different, it's not players," Klopp said. "I don't miss standing in the rain for two-and-a-half or three hours. I also don't miss going to press conferences three times a week ... I don't miss being in the dressing room... I'm 58. From your perspective that might be old, but from other perspectives, it's not that old. That means I could make a decision in a few years. I don't know."Liverpool have suffered four consecutive defeats for the first time since November 2014 following Sunday's 2-1 home loss to Manchester United but Klopp was confident Slot will turn things around with players like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike at his disposal. "Wirtz, you all will eat your words if you use the wrong words. He's an incredible talent," he added. "Ekitike, incredible player. Just the offensive players ... it's a really, really good squad. So you don't have to worry about Liverpool, they will be fine."Liverpool 'better team' despite losing streak, says Frankfurt coachEintracht Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller said that Liverpool have been "the better team in every game" of their four-match losing streak, as his side prepares to take on the Reds in the Champions League Wednesday.Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool are in the midst of surprising slump given that they bolstered their squad over the close-season to the tune of nearly £450mn ($604mn) worth of new signings. Arne Slot's team lost 2-1 to arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday, coming after defeats against Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea. Liverpool had not lost four in a row for more than a decade.Speaking to reporters, Toppmoeller said that Sunday's game "could have been 4-2 for Liverpool", adding that the Reds "are not in top form, only in the sense of their results. "When you watch the games, which of course we did, you see that they seem to lack a bit of a spark at the moment," the 44-year-old said. "But in every game, they've been the better team and have had more chances at goal. We're expecting a world-class team tomorrow," Toppmoeller said, adding that the English champions would arrive in Frankfurt highly motivated. "You've got to be aware of what it does to a team to lose four in a row."Liverpool's last four-game losing streak came in November 2014 under former manager Brendan Rodgers. One of the team's issues is the dip in form suffered by star forward Mo Salah. But Toppmoeller said that the Egyptian "was probably among the top three players in the world over the past decade -- and still is."Another Red not delivering his best is Germany's £100 million midfielder Florian Wirtz, who is returning to his home country for the first time since moving to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer. Toppmoeller said that Wirtz's performances were "quite decent, even if he hasn't got the numbers he had in Leverkusen."He's at a club where the spotlight is so bright and where people across the world are always watching. "I'm incredibly convinced of his quality. I hope he doesn't show that tomorrow, that's something we should worry about."