Liverpool's Anfield Fortress Crumbling as Iraola Suffers First Defeat
Liverpool's winless home run extends after a 3-0 loss to Manchester City, raising questions about their Anfield fear factor.
Liverpool's struggles at Anfield continued on Sunday as they fell 3-0 to Manchester City, leaving them winless in three Premier League home games this season. The Reds have now gone five successive league matches at Anfield without a win, dating back to last season, a sequence that raises doubts about their once-imposing home advantage.
The match turned when Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute. Until then, Liverpool had competed well against a City side that arrived with a perfect record. After the red card, they conceded three times. Manager Andoni Iraola acknowledged the shift, saying his team played "two different games" and were "very good" for 60 minutes but City were better after the dismissal.
The defeat was Iraola's first in the Premier League in 24 matches, a run that included his time at Bournemouth. Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live that the team is "an easy touch" and lacks the "horrible" edge of top sides, pointing to a shortage of leaders beyond Virgil van Dijk.
Ex-Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes noted on a podcast that the Anfield crowd's influence has faded since Jürgen Klopp's era, with visiting teams enjoying more possession. Nicky Butt added that teams like Fulham used to be beaten before kick-off, but that fear has diminished.
Liverpool's attacking woes are stark: they have scored just seven league goals this season, only twice at Anfield, and failed to score in two of three home league games. Injuries to Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai, who have combined for six of those seven goals, have left them short. Summer signings Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, both costing over £100m, struggled to make an impact.
Iraola praised his players' effort but admitted there is much work to do. Getting the big-money signings to deliver will be a priority as Liverpool aim to restore their home dominance.
