'We lacked freshness' - Andoni Iraola explains Liverpool's Fulham struggles after gruelling Atletico Madrid clash

Iraola did not hide his disappointment after seeing his Liverpool side drop points at home to a Fulham team that had struggled for form coming into the match. The stalemate means the Reds have now drawn four consecutive league games at Anfield for the first time since 2011, and the manager was quick to point toward a congested schedule as the primary reason for a flat performance.

Liverpool had only 60 hours to recover following their midweek Champions League battle against Atletico Madrid, a factor Iraola believes drained his players of their usual intensity.

"When you draw, especially at home, you can't be happy. Today we lacked a bit of freshness and we did not do enough offensively to make the difference," Iraola told BBC Match of the Day. He expanded on the physical toll the season is already taking on his squad, noting that the hosts only had three shots on target throughout the ninety minutes. "It is less than three days, 60 hours, [since they played Atletico Madrid in the Champions League] and a lot of players had to adapt."

Despite enjoying the lion's share of possession, the Reds struggled to create clear-cut openings against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side. Iraola acknowledged that while the defensive structure remained sound, the lack of spark in the final third was the deciding factor in the result.

"We have been good enough to keep the clean sheet. It was slightly better in the second half. In the first half we started the game slow, we lacked energy and it was not enough, we have to be offensively better," the former Bournemouth boss admitted. The stats back up his assessment; Liverpool have now failed to score a first-half goal in three straight Premier League games at Anfield for the first time since April 2021.

One of the few talking points ahead of kick-off was the inclusion of Bradley Barcola, who was handed his first Premier League start for the club. The young forward showed flashes of talent but, like many of his teammates, appeared to tire as the game wore on. Iraola stressed that Barcola is a long-term project who needs time to adjust to the physical demands of the English top flight.

"Bradley is one we are building up physically with games and the games will give him the condition we want. But it is not just Bradley, we lack the freshness. I only remember one clear chance [for Fulham] and we kept the structure but offensively we need to do much better," Iraola explained.

There is no time for Liverpool to dwell on the result, with a Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur looming on Tuesday. The schedule shows no signs of relenting, and Iraola must decide whether to rotate his squad further or stick with a group that he admits is currently lacking energy. The pressure is mounting on the Spaniard to secure a statement victory at Anfield, especially as he has now drawn three of his first four games in charge of the Merseyside giants.