Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has outlined his demands for the club's attacking players, stating that it is more important for them to exhaust themselves than to play for the full 90 minutes. He shared this philosophy as he prepares for his "emotional" Premier League home debut at Anfield.
Iraola explained, "For me, wingers, forwards, I always tell them that they don’t need to give us 90 minutes. I tell them it is good news when they are exhausted because then we have taken everything from you and someone else will come in." He added that while defenders can last longer, it is not mandatory for offensive players to complete the whole game.
The Basque coach hopes that the arrival of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain, along with another potential winger before Tuesday's deadline, will enhance his attacking options. So far, only Victor Muñoz has joined the front line.
Iraola confirmed that Muñoz, a £34.5m signing from Osasuna, is "ready to start games" despite missing early pre-season due to recuperating from Spain's World Cup victory. The 23-year-old impressed from the bench against Newcastle last weekend.
Iraola's first competitive home game will be against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, an occasion his wife and children are expected to attend.