Andoni Iraola has made three changes as Liverpool star confirmed things feel different

· Mirror

Things "weren't right" in the dressing room before Andoni Iraola took charge at Liverpool over the summer, one Reds star admitted

Just a few months into the Andoni Iraola era at Liverpool, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has outlined the important changes the new boss has made. Iraola took over from Arne Slot in June and Mac Allister claims things weren't right around the club before the former Bournemouth boss took the reins.

Slot led Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2024/25 but the Reds' defence of their crown went poorly. Under Iraola, they are starting to look competitive in the league and in Europe, winning all three of their Champions League games.

Iraola has only been in the dugout for a few months but it took even less time than that for the Basque boss to make his mark. Indeed, players noticed big changes within a matter of weeks and their Argentine midfielder has shed some light on what is different.

Reports from The Athletic suggest one of the big changes surrounds team meetings. Unlike his predecessor, Iraola is believed to prefer giving his players instructions on the training pitch rather than in the classroom.

Liverpool's U21s head coach Rob Page suggested Iraola had put his "stamp on it straight away", highlighting a noticeable increase in the physical demands of the team's training sessions. In addition to favouring the outdoor setting and working on those physical elements, the 44-year-old is said to rarely launch into deep conversations with his playing staff, instead sticking to sporting matters.

Following Tuesday's Champions League comeback win over Villarreal, midfielder Mac Allister lent weight to the notion that Iraola has brought about a positive change. The two-goal hero suggested something had not been quite right in the dressing room under Slot last season, stopping short of going into specifics but giving the new boss full credit for turning things around.

He told presenter Gabby Logan:

> "Last season something wasn't right in the group and this manager changed it, and that's really important. The way we play is quite different, I don't like to compare but I am really enjoying it. > > "From the first day, I started seeing something. He's a nice guy and the coaching staff is too. We are going in the right direction but we need to work and put in everything. Hopefully we can win some trophies."

Mac Allister has been in superb form under Iraola, finding the net four times across all competitions. The turnaround is a marked one for a player who often struggled to make his mark during Slot's second season.

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