'I want to impose ourselves from the beginning!' - Andoni Iraola calls on Liverpool to end slow starts ahead of Fulham clash

Liverpool manager Iraola has urged his side to find their clinical edge from the first whistle as they look to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. The Reds have showcased significant resilience in recent weeks, but conceding first has become a troubling routine, having fallen behind in three of his opening four games in charge. After fighting back to secure draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory over Ipswich - thanks to Alexander Isak's early double inside the opening 10 minutes last Friday - before earning a 2-1 comeback win over Atletico Madrid.

Speaking ahead of the clash with Fulham, Iraola emphasized that while the team's spirit is strong, life would be much simpler if they stopped giving opponents a head start. 'I think the team has goals in it,' Iraola said. 'In all the games we've been dangerous, we've created chances, we scored two goals [in every game], we could have scored more in some of those games, but now it's about being more efficient. Not conceding the two goals against Newcastle, not conceding the goals against Forest, and also when the goals come because I think we are not starting too well in the games. We had the positive precedent of Ipswich and the games look much more comfortable when you start like this.'

The numbers highlight Iraola's frustration with his side's sluggish starts. Liverpool failed to score a single first-half goal in their opening two league matches, only breaking that pattern last Friday when Isak scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes against Ipswich.

'The other games, we started losing and then you have to do a lot of effort to come back,' the Spaniard explained. 'I would like obviously to score the first goal and then everything looks easier, but we need to have the right mentality. Against Atletico I think we had a chance after something like 15 seconds, Alex [Mac Allister] had a very clear chance to score and then everyone says "incredible start," you score and it changes, but I think the start of the games is probably one of the parts where we can be a little bit better. In the second half we've normally been better, but I want to try and impose ourselves from the beginning because it becomes easier, everything.'

Liverpool face a Fulham side currently managed by former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa, who is taking on just the second managerial role of his career. Arbeloa took charge of Real Madrid back in January, but a silverware-less end to the campaign saw him depart to make way for Jose Mourinho. His spell at Craven Cottage has started in similarly difficult fashion, with Fulham failing to pick up a single point following three consecutive defeats to Chelsea, Sunderland, and Crystal Palace. Despite their poor run of form, Iraola is not underestimating the challenge.

Addressing the pressure mounting on his opposite number, Iraola remained cautious. 'We have played just three Premier League games and to make big conclusions about any team, I think it's too early, and I think Fulham is a great example,' the Liverpool boss remarked. 'I think they have played well in the three games, honestly. They've lost the three games by one goal. I think if you see a lot of the stats they have and you don't know the points they have, you will think they have five points at least because they've been controlling the games.'

The match at Anfield will provide a unique reunion for the two managers, who previously shared a dressing room while representing Spain. While they were once teammates competing for the same role in the national setup, Iraola joked that Arbeloa was usually the one who came out on top during their playing days.

'I think we played maybe very few times together in the national team,' Iraola admitted when asked about his relationship with the Fulham head coach. 'We were fighting more or less for the same position, but I think he was more successful in that he played more games than me!'