Liverpool begin the 2026/27 season facing one of the biggest transitions in recent club history. Mohamed Salah has left after nine remarkable years, Arne Slot is gone after winning the Premier League title in his first season, and Andoni Iraola has arrived with a very different tactical philosophy. This blog explores Liverpool 2026/27 preview for upcoming season.
The challenge for Iraola is not simply replacing Salah’s goals. Liverpool must rebuild their attacking identity, improve their defensive stability and adapt to a demanding high-intensity system while competing in the Premier League and Champions League. The early signs have been mixed. Liverpool have won two of their four pre-season matches, but they have also suffered defeats against Leeds United and Monaco after taking two-goal leads in both games. They have scored nine goals and conceded nine across those four fixtures.
That record tells only part of the story. Liverpool have shown more aggression, faster attacking transitions and a greater willingness to press. However, they have also exposed defensive problems that Iraola must solve before the competitive campaign begins.
Liverpool 2026/27 Preview: A New Era at Anfield
Liverpool’s summer has been defined by change. Salah’s departure represents the most significant alteration to the squad. The Egyptian forward left after nine seasons at Anfield, finishing his Liverpool career with 257 goals and 120 assists from 442 appearances. He became the club’s third-highest scorer and helped Liverpool win two Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Andy Robertson has also departed after nine years, while Ibrahima Konaté and Rhys Williams are among the other senior players leaving the squad. Liverpool’s official retained list confirmed the departures ahead of the new campaign. The changes mean Iraola inherits a team that looks very different from the Liverpool that lifted the Premier League title under Slot.
There is also a psychological element to the rebuild. Salah was not simply another forward. Liverpool built a large part of their attacking threat around his movement, finishing and ability to create chances from the right side. Replacing that influence requires more than signing one winger. Iraola instead has to create a more collective attacking structure.
Andoni Iraola Brings a Different Liverpool
Iraola’s appointment has created considerable interest because his football is built around intensity, aggressive pressing and vertical attacking. His Bournemouth side regularly looked to force opponents into uncomfortable situations before attacking quickly once possession was recovered. At Liverpool, however, he faces a different tactical problem.
Bournemouth often had less possession than their opponents. Liverpool are expected to dominate the ball against many Premier League sides. That difference has already been visible during pre-season.
Liverpool averaged 60.6 per cent possession across their first four friendlies, according to the tactical analysis published after the opening games. That represents a significant increase from the possession levels associated with Iraola’s Bournemouth side last season. The manager therefore has to combine his traditional transition-based football with longer periods of controlled possession.
Liverpool have often built from the goalkeeper with four defenders and one or two midfielders dropping deep. The purpose is not simply to keep the ball. It is to encourage the opposition to press before Liverpool accelerate through the spaces created behind that pressure. That approach can turn possession into a form of counter-attacking football.
If opponents press high, Liverpool can go long earlier. If the opposition sits deeper, the Reds can circulate the ball before using rotations around the flanks. That flexibility could become one of the most important features of the Iraola era.
Liverpool’s Pre-Season Results Tell an Important Story
Liverpool’s four pre-season results have produced a revealing record. They began with a 4-2 victory over Sunderland before beating Wrexham 1-0. Those victories were followed by a 4-2 defeat against Leeds and a 3-2 loss to Monaco.
That leaves Liverpool with:
- Four pre-season matches
- Two wins
- Two defeats
- Nine goals scored
- Nine goals conceded
- A 50 per cent win rate
- 2.25 goals scored per match
- 2.25 goals conceded per match
The results should not be treated as a prediction of Liverpool’s Premier League campaign. Pre-season involves heavy rotation, different fitness levels and players returning at different times. However, the nature of the defeats matters. Liverpool led Leeds 2-0 before losing 4-2. They then established another 2-0 advantage against Monaco before losing 3-2 at Anfield.
Those collapses highlight the biggest concern surrounding Iraola’s tactical model. Liverpool want to attack with numbers, but that approach can leave space behind the midfield and full-backs when possession is lost.
The Monaco defeat was particularly revealing. Liverpool’s early attacking play showed promise, with Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz both finding the net, but the second-half collapse exposed weaknesses in defensive control. Iraola himself admitted that the team still has work to do. The encouraging point is that the problems are identifiable. The concern is whether Liverpool can solve them quickly enough.
Life After Mohamed Salah
The central question of this Liverpool 2026/27 preview is obvious: how do Liverpool replace Mohamed Salah?
The short answer is that they cannot replace him directly. Salah’s numbers explain why. He left Liverpool with 257 goals and 120 assists from 442 appearances. His contribution was not limited to finishing chances. He stretched defensive lines, created space for teammates and provided a reliable source of goals from the right wing. Liverpool therefore need several players to share the responsibility.
Florian Wirtz could become one of the most important figures in that process. The German playmaker has primarily operated as a No.10 under Iraola, but his freedom to drift towards the left gives Liverpool another creative outlet. Cody Gakpo can also provide goals and physical presence from the left, while Rio Ngumoha offers pace and unpredictability.
New signing Víctor Muñoz adds another option in the wide areas. Liverpool agreed a long-term deal for the Spanish forward after his impressive season with Osasuna, where he recorded seven goals and five assists in 34 appearances across all competitions. Federico Chiesa also remains part of the attacking group, although his fitness and consistency will be important factors. The bigger issue is the right wing.
Salah’s departure leaves Liverpool without an obvious established replacement who can immediately reproduce his combination of goals, creativity and availability. That explains the club’s continued interest in another wide attacker.
Liverpool’s Transfer Plans Are Not Finished
Liverpool’s confirmed summer additions include Jérémy Jacquet and Víctor Muñoz. Jacquet arrived from Rennes after Liverpool reached an agreement for the France Under-21 defender earlier in the year. The 20-year-old made 21 appearances for Rennes in the 2025/26 campaign before a shoulder injury ended his season early. Muñoz provides attacking depth and another option for Iraola’s wide system.
The most recent major development is Ronald Araújo. Liverpool have agreed a season-long loan deal for the Barcelona defender, with an option to buy. The move addresses an immediate defensive shortage caused by injuries and departures.
Araújo’s physical profile could suit Iraola’s aggressive defensive approach. Barcelona’s official profile describes him as a powerful centre-back with aerial ability, pace and versatility, including experience at right-back. The move is particularly important because Liverpool have lost Konaté, while Joe Gomez, Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni have faced fitness problems.
Liverpool are also reportedly pursuing another winger, with Bradley Barcola remaining a major target. However, that deal is far from guaranteed. PSG’s reported valuation is extremely high, meaning Liverpool must decide whether to meet that price or pursue an alternative. It is important to distinguish this from confirmed business. Barcola is a reported target, not a Liverpool player.
The Defence Is Iraola’s Biggest Problem
Liverpool’s attacking potential is exciting, but the defence is arguably the more urgent concern. Virgil van Dijk remains the senior leader at the back, but he is now 35. The departure of Konaté removes another experienced central defender, while injuries have reduced Iraola’s options. Araújo therefore arrives at an important moment.
His ability to defend large spaces could be valuable because Iraola wants Liverpool to maintain a high defensive line. That system demands defenders who can recover quickly when opponents break through the press. Liverpool’s pre-season problems have shown what happens when that structure fails. If six or seven outfield players push forward, Liverpool can create dangerous attacking situations. However, losing the ball without an immediate counter-press can expose the centre-backs to large spaces.
Iraola’s answer is expected to be aggressive counter-pressing. The idea is simple: Liverpool should win the ball back before the opposition can launch its own attack. Execution is much harder. Against Monaco, Liverpool struggled to maintain the required intensity as the match progressed. Iraola acknowledged that his side could not sustain the level he wanted, while depth and physical sharpness remained concerns. That is an important warning before the Premier League begins.
Florian Wirtz Could Become Liverpool’s Creative Hub
Wirtz is another key part of the new Liverpool project. The German arrived with enormous expectations after his move from Bayer Leverkusen, but his first season did not fully match the excitement surrounding his transfer. Iraola’s system could give him greater freedom.
Rather than forcing Wirtz into one fixed position, Liverpool have used him across the attacking structure. He can move towards the left, drop into midfield or occupy central areas behind the striker. That movement fits naturally with Iraola’s attacking principles. Liverpool have already shown examples of wide triangles involving the full-back, winger and attacking midfielder. Wirtz can become the third player in those combinations.
For example, the winger can move inside, allowing the full-back to attack the outside lane. Wirtz can then drift towards the same area and create another passing option. The objective is to create numerical advantages rather than rely on one player’s individual brilliance. That could become particularly important after Salah’s departure.
Alexander Isak Gives Liverpool a Different Dimension
Alexander Isak is another player who could benefit from Iraola’s approach. The Swedish striker has the technical ability to link play, attack space and finish chances. His movement can also create opportunities for Wirtz and the wide players.Liverpool’s 2-3 defeat against Monaco offered an encouraging glimpse of the partnership between Isak and Wirtz, with both players scoring.
However, Isak still needs to reach full sharpness after his previous injury problems. The club also faces a major depth issue because Hugo Ekitiké is unavailable until at least January 2027, according to the latest squad information. That makes attacking recruitment particularly important. A team competing across the Premier League and Champions League cannot rely on one primary striker for an entire season.
Midfield Must Support the Press
Liverpool’s midfield may be one of the most interesting tactical areas under Iraola. Dominik Szoboszlai has been used as a deeper midfielder during pre-season, rather than being moved around the pitch as frequently as he was last season. That could become a crucial role.
Iraola’s teams often defend in aggressive structures that require midfielders to cover huge amounts of space. Szoboszlai’s physical qualities make him suitable for that job. Ryan Gravenberch can provide ball carrying and progression, while Alexis Mac Allister offers control and passing quality. The problem is workload. Several Liverpool players have had demanding international schedules around the 2026 World Cup, which has reduced their preparation time.
That makes the early weeks of the season particularly challenging. Liverpool need their midfield to press aggressively without losing its ability to control matches.
What Should Liverpool Expect in 2026/27?
Expectations need to be realistic. Liverpool remain one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, and Champions League qualification is a minimum requirement for a successful season. However, expecting Iraola to immediately reproduce Klopp-era Liverpool or Slot’s title-winning side would ignore the scale of the rebuild. The club finished fifth last season and has lost Salah, Robertson and Konaté.
At the same time, the team is learning a new tactical system. Iraola has never managed a club with Liverpool’s level of expectation. His previous successes came at clubs where he was allowed to build gradually and outperform expectations. Liverpool will demand something different. They will expect results immediately.
The opening fixture makes that challenge even more interesting. Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign away against Newcastle United on 23 August. That will provide the first serious indication of whether Iraola’s pre-season work is translating into competitive football.
Liverpool 2026/27 Prediction
Liverpool have enough quality to compete for the Champions League places, but a title challenge looks much harder to predict at this stage. The attacking potential is obvious. Wirtz, Isak, Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Chiesa, Ngumoha and Muñoz give Iraola several different profiles.
The defensive situation is less convincing. Araújo should strengthen the squad, but Liverpool still need greater depth if they are to handle injuries and Champions League football. The right wing also remains an unresolved issue following Salah’s departure.
If Liverpool complete another high-quality attacking signing and maintain their key players’ fitness, a top-four challenge is realistic. If the defensive problems continue, however, Iraola could face a difficult first half of the campaign.
Final Verdict
Liverpool’s 2026/27 season is less about replacing Mohamed Salah and more about creating a new attacking identity without him. The early pre-season evidence is encouraging in some areas. Liverpool have scored nine goals in four games and have shown greater intensity, movement and verticality. The problems are equally clear. They have conceded nine goals, surrendered two-goal leads against both Leeds and Monaco, and remain short of depth in several positions.
Iraola’s football promises to be more aggressive and energetic than what Liverpool supporters saw for long periods last season. His challenge is turning that aggression into control. Salah’s departure closes one of the greatest chapters in Liverpool history. Iraola now has the opportunity to begin another. The first few months will reveal whether Liverpool’s gamble on a young, tactically ambitious manager can produce another contender or whether the club must accept a transitional season before challenging for major honours again.
For now, the most accurate description of Liverpool is simple: the rebuild has started, but it is nowhere near finished.
