Liverpool can’t keep letting levels drop: Iraola after Monaco defeat

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.

Liverpool squandered a two-goal advantage for the second straight game after losing 4-2 to Leeds United earlier this month, raising concerns about their readiness ahead of their Premier League opener against Newcastle United on Aug.23.

Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz put the Reds ahead, but like against Leeds last week in Chicago -- when Liverpool were two goals up but lost 4-2 -- they were unable to preserve their lead.

Aleksandr Golovin’s penalty and Mika Biereth got Monaco back on level terms, before Paris Brunner headed in a late winner.

Iraola made 11 changes to his side in the second half and gave a first Liverpool appearance to new signing Victor Munoz.

“I think (this was) quite similar to the game we played against Leeds,” said 44-year-old Spaniard Iraola.

“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.

“Then they (Monaco) were much better in the second half, in the same way we were better in the first half, they were much better in the second half, and they deserved to turn around the game, yes.”

“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.”

Captain Virgil van Dijk, goalkeeper Alisson Becker and winger Cody Gakpo were all making 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 joined Liverpool in June after Arne Slot was sacked.

“It will take time with them, we need more training with them. But we can take a lot of positives, but also a lot of negatives from today.”

Iraola also said they were taking a cautious approach with new signing Jeremy Jacquet, who suffered a shoulder injury in February and has recently been troubled by a knee issue.

“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.

Agencies