Liverpool's Premier League campaign resumes on Sunday with a home match against Manchester City at Anfield. The three-week international break brought news that Manchester City were found guilty of financial breaches.
Debate has been intense over what punishment City should receive. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that if the club faces severe consequences, it could indirectly increase pressure on Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola.
Carragher warns of pressure on Iraola
Carragher thinks pressure will mount on Iraola following the City verdict. Manchester City were found guilty of breaking the Premier League's financial rules between 2009 and 2018, with speculation they could be relegated. City maintain their innocence, have appealed the decision, and are confident of full exoneration.
Carragher is convinced Enzo Maresca's side will be relegated, and that the consequences will mean managers including Iraola, Michael Carrick at Manchester United, and Xabi Alonso at Chelsea will face pressure to succeed without City in the top flight.
"City have been a valid excuse for narrowly losing titles and trophies. For others, they have been a convenient one," Carragher wrote in his column for The Telegraph. "For Liverpool, Chelsea and United, the timescale to become title challengers changes the moment City hear the outcome of their disciplinary hearing. The power shift will be instant and dramatic."
"We are not in a world in which Iraola can talk about long-term projects. Once the two immediate obstacles to another Liverpool title in the near future are reduced to one, there will be an expectation for his side to make haste."
Liverpool have finished second behind City on three occasions in recent years. Carragher urged the Anfield side to use that "grievance as a source of motivation".
Arne Slot lands new role
Arne Slot has taken his first job since being sacked by Liverpool. The Dutchman was dismissed at the end of last season after a disappointing title defence. He was linked with the Netherlands national team role before insisting his immediate future lies in club football.
Slot has now been appointed to UEFA's Technical Observer Group. UEFA says the group will monitor the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League with "stats and video assistance, enabling them to deliver detailed reports on the latest developments in coaching, which are shared among the footballing community to give a dynamic account of the state of the game."
On Slot's addition, European football's governing body added: "Slot made his name at Feyenoord, reaching the UEFA Conference League final in 2022 and winning an Eredivisie title and Dutch Cup in the following two campaigns. He joined Liverpool in 2024 and immediately guided the club to their second Premier League trophy in five years before departing Anfield this summer."
