Why Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool is key for Andoni Iraola's tenure amid Arne Slot comparisons before Premier League clash

Liverpool will take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday, and athird consecutive defeatwould place Andoni Iraola under pressure. The head coach has so far taken charge of 15 games as Reds boss, and while he has only lost three times, there is growing discontent in some sections of the fanbase.

Afterlosing against Arsenalin the Premier League last weekend and suffering adefeat away to Fenerbahcein the Champions League on Wednesday, there are concerns his position could be in danger if he was to suffer a third consecutive loss on Sunday. Iraola is also only contracted to Anfield until 2028, so the Merseysiders will have to make a decision about whether to renew his deal sooner rather than later.

Heading into the upcoming international break on the back of three defeats would no doubt place Iraola under further pressure from those that were already sceptical about his appointment. Here, Sports Mole explains why Iraola could come under extra scrutiny this weekend, while also exploring whether he should be fearful about his future at Liverpool.

Andoni Iraloa: Suffering from Arne Slot fallout One of the reasons that some Liverpool supporters are uneasy about the inconsistencies of the team this season is that they saw the club experience a turbulent 2025-26. Under the direction of Arne Slot, the Reds finished fifth with just 60 points, and they lost 19 times in all competitions, though their 2025 Community Shield loss takes that number to 20.

Fans were distraught that Liverpool could surrender their Premier League title so easily, and the team's struggles last season created a rift amongst many, with the two camps split over their support of Slot. The Dutchman's dismissal in May was met with mixed reactions, and the appointment of Iraola was divisive given he was replacing a title-winning manager.

While many fans have acknowledged that the squad the current head coach inherited was flawed, those that backed Slot believe that Iraola has not been held to the same standards as his predecessor. However, the Reds claimed just 45 points from their final 33 league games under Slot, with the club fortunate that they won their first five games of that campaign.

The underlying numbers in 2025-26 were alarming, and their final 33 matches extrapolated over a full season would equate to just 52 points, enough to finish 10th last term. Iraola's side are highly unlikely to be as poor over the remainder of 2026-27, and he deserves the chance to take the squad as far as he can.

Liverpool struggled throughout Slot's final season when pressing, with critiques made of the Dutchman's out of possession approach, as well as fitness conditioning. Iraola was highly regarded at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth for the intensity he demanded from his players, and that same high-energy system has been used at Liverpool to great effect.

The Reds have pressed the likes of Arsenal, Brentford and Bournemouth exceptionally well this term, and they have also looked far more assured at the back. Liverpool have kept four clean sheets in their past seven league matches, while only conceding once against each of Brentford and Arsenal.