Andoni Iraola has insisted his impressive record against Arsenal will not give him an advantage as he faces the Gunners for the first time as Liverpool manager.
The Basque faced Arsenal six times during his tenure at Bournemouth, winning three and losing three. He oversaw the Cherries' shock 2-1 victory at the Emirates in April, which briefly cast doubt on Mikel Arteta's title ambitions, and completed a league double over them in the 2024/25 season.
Different Team and Moment
Iraola will have another chance to improve his record against Arsenal when they visit Anfield on Sunday, but he is adamant his success at Bournemouth will not necessarily translate to Liverpool.
"It is a totally different team and moment," he said on Friday. "We can't use the same things we used with Bournemouth here."
One certainty is that Iraola's fine form with the Reds has produced a five-match winning run, which has restored the Anfield atmosphere after it declined in the latter days of Arne Slot's tenure.
Special Atmosphere at Anfield
Iraola attributes that to Liverpool's committed performances rather than their results: "At Anfield, everyone feels when the team are going for it and trying their best. Even when we lost, they have been there and helped us massively. We can create a special atmosphere."
The most recent result in Liverpool's run came midweek as they eliminated Chelsea from the Carabao Cup on penalties. The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, with Chelsea's goal coming from the spot following Ryan Gravenberch's clumsy tackle on Moises Caicedo.
Iraola said he is unconcerned about Gravenberch's inconsistent form: "He has had better games and worse games. We trust him and we know what he can produce. Like other players, when he doesn't play well, we try to help him improve. He is in a good place."
