Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, asked about the start made by defender Ronald Araujo, who joined on loan from Barcelona in the summer:

"I'm very happy for him because the first time I talked to him, we knew each other because we'd played each other but not personally. Sometimes you talk to a player and you feel it straight away, it's positive. I think he needed this kind of change. He comes with humility, from a big club, an experienced play. We need you right-back, [he'll play] right-back, we need you centre-back, [he'll play] centre-back, we need him in other position, I think he's ready to do it.

"Physically also, he played more minutes than we expected, being so early in the season. It's still early but he's finishing the games in a good place, he's not cramping he's not... especially when you are a centre-back and you have to play wide as a right-back, the demands are different. Probably it's more demanding. He's assuming these efforts well.

"I like his spirit. Now I am pushing him to learn a little bit of language. A good way for us to use his experience is if he can communicate with his teammates a little bit all the experience that he has. But I suppose it will take some time."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, asked about his wealth of wide options:

"It's the spot that we want to be in in every position. In this case, for players fighting for those wide positions, in most of the games - if not all - two will start and two will come from the bench. If it doesn't happen probably we're winning a game and see something different. Most of the games, four of them are playing, it's a good fight. It's good for me that it's not easy to choose. We will need them all. For me, it's a luxury to have this kind of options."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, asked whether summer signing Bradley Barcola is fully up to speed yet:

"With Bradley, the more time he plays, the better he will become. He's come in straight away, without pre-season minutes, but in a good shape. Like all the signings coming from other leagues, he will need some time to adjust to the Premier League. But he's very used to playing high-level games and I see him in a good place, yes."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, asked for his team news for the Bournemouth game:

"Everyone is ready to go. We are in the same place we were, three long-term injuries [Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni] plus Federico [Chiesa, who has a back injury]. The others, no, nothing. We still need to train tomorrow and travel, but everyone is fine."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola asked what he expects from Florian Wirtz:

"He should be judged like everybody well. Like, if he plays well, if he doesn't play well... I always say, 'how does the team play when you are on the pitch?'

"I rate Florian very highly, he understands what we need from him, he is trying to help in every aspect of the game. Obviously he will want also to add assists or goals but he is helping us in a lot of different areas. Also, we could give him a rest [against Spurs] the other day, that he needed because he's put in a good effort in the games."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola asked how the current Bournemouth side compare to the one he left behind:

"I don't think they've changed too much. Definitely in terms of names. They're using mostly the same starting eleven, very few changes. They lost Marcos Senesi and they've signed Antonio Silva, a very similar kind of player.

"The main ideas and the philosophy, I was lucky also to talk to Marco Rose before leaving. It hasn't changed too much.

"They continue to be very dangerous, a very good team, yes."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola asked how it'll feel to be on the touchline at the Vitality Stadium again, having managed there until June:

"I think in the personal side I'm really looking forward to meeting and hugging them, players that I love, staff that I have worked with that I appreciate so much. I was pushing for them yesterday when they were playing their first European game. I wish them all the best.

"But there is another part that is the most important one right now. That we need to go there and win and beat them and be as ruthless as possible. And leave all the talking for after the game."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola asked whether his side are fresher than the Cherries, who played in the Europa League on Thursday:

"Yes. I think we have an advantage. Most of the time it has been the opposite, we are the team that have played the last, this time we played two days before they played, even though we also played mid-week. There should be an advantage there.

"But also, I know where we are going and I know the stats they have there. Not only at the stadium, but overall. I think you see all the games they've lost in a long while, you realise how difficult it is to beat Bournemouth. But I suppose also I have the advantage that I know them very well. And they have the advantage that they know me very well, so, you never know who is with more advantage in that sense."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola on the inclusion of Rio Ngumoha and Alex Scott, whom Iraola worked with at Bournemouth, in Thomas Tuchel's England squad:

"Very happy for both. They both absolutely deserve it. They also went to help the national team before the tournament and I'm sure they did a good job. I can only speak well about both. Very deserved, very ready. And I hope they both enjoy it, yes."

Liverpool

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola gives his verdict on the debate surrounding Dominik Szoboszlai's goal against Tottenham Hotspur:

"I think we need a different word because I don't think it's a volley and I don't think it's a half-volley.

"I don't think it's a volley because the ball bounces and I don't think it's a half-volley because a half-volley is when the trajectory of the ball goes upwards, for me, and you hit it and you score.

"But this one was like bounce, then goes up, downwards again and you hit it. We need to find a third word I think."

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport

Andoni Iraola became something of a draw specialist during his final season at Bournemouth, and that trait has continued at Liverpool, with the Reds sharing the points in three of their opening four league matches, including both home games.

However, few recent managers have started their Anfield reigns in truly convincing fashion.

Although predecessor Arne Slot had three more points at the same stage, Iraola is the first Liverpool boss this century to remain unbeaten in his opening four Premier League matches.

He can also take some confidence from back-to-back top-flight clean sheets, given Liverpool had managed only one shut-out in their previous 13 matches.

Iraola guided Bournemouth to a 3-2 victory when the sides met at the Vitality Stadium in January, but Liverpool have generally dominated this fixture.

The Reds have won 14 of 18 Premier League meetings with the Cherries, scoring 54 goals.

Their average of three goals per game is their highest against any opponent they have faced at least 10 times in the competition.

And that's our Tottenham coverage finished. Next stop on the Premier League presser bus, Liverpool.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi on whether the three-week international break comes at a bad time after building a three-game unbeaten run following a tricky start: "We have to accept it - nothing more. I would work every day if I could, but if we have to stop then we have to stop.

"The most important thing right now is our game against Aston Villa. It will be a tough game but we have the quality and the players to play well. If we don't play well, we won't win against them. Let's hope for a good performance."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi on whether he believes the results will come if the performances keep improving: "We still need to improve in all areas really. We conceded the first goal against Liverpool in a bad way, we knew what our plan was in defence and one long ball through shouldn't have been enough to concede a goal. We should've closed down Cody Gakpo better for the second goal as well.

"I do think we had more chances against Liverpool than in our other games, but that could be because they are playing with more courage so there was more space to attack.

"I have enough experience as a manager to understand that you have to stay calm and have confidence in what you're doing. The players have my full confidence. We move on and we keep trying to be better day by day - not by words but by facts."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi on Dejan Kulusevski, who has not featured at all since May 2025, being pictured training to some degree: "We have to manage him in the best way possible alongside our medical staff. It is great news for us obviously because he is a great player and a good guy. He deserves to play again and the international break will be important for him.

"He will be like another new signing for us when he is back to his usual physical condition. He doesn't need my encouragement to keep working because he is strong-minded and a great character. He is an example for everyone."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi started off by providing an update on Pedro Porro, Sandro Tonali and James Maddison: "They are all available to play. We have to understand the situation in terms of their physical condition, but all of them are ready to feature.

"James Maddison's personality, his characteristics, qualities, experience and passing qualities are different to our other players, maybe besides Mohammed Kudus, however he isn't used to playing in the same position. Mateus Fernandes can play as a number 10, but he needs to be more decisive in his shooting and final passes."

Image source, Getty Images

Want a full tactical rundown of what Roberto de Zerbi is trying to implement at Tottenham?

Of course you do! And you can read it all here.

In the wake of their Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool, Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi said his side have to find “La Scintilla” (the spark) to kick start their season and finally score some goals.

This is the first time in the club’s 144-year history that they have failed to score in their opening four league matches to a season.

The only time they’ve ever failed to score in five or more league games at any stage of a campaign was a six-game run between December 1985 to February 1986.

While the sole Premier League side to have ever gone longer than four matches without a goal is Crystal Palace, who took seven matches in 2017-18 before finally breaking their duck.

But that Palace team did go on to finish 11th and none of the other four Premier League teams who also failed to score in their opening four matches ended up finishing lower than that.

Coincidentally, one of those sides was actually Unai Emery’s Aston Villa just 12 months ago as they roared into form to eventually finish fourth and lift the Europa League.

We'll start our coverage on Tottenham, who lost in the Carabao Cup to Liverpool this week and are still without a Premier League win.

Oh, and if you want to get in touch, you can using the usual methods!