Isak asks for patience as Iraola’s Liverpool wait on first win

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Alexander Isak believes Liverpool were always likely to encounter teething problems as they adapt to Andoni Iraola’s methods, but he does not feel their first Premier League win will be far away.

Having fought back late on to earn a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United on matchday one, it was a similar story for the Reds on Saturday, at home to Nottingham Forest.

In Iraola’s first competitive match in charge at Anfield, Liverpool twice fell behind – to Dan Ndoye’s strike and a Morgan Gibbs-White penalty – but goals from Isak and Victor Munoz ensured they earned a point.

Isak now has seven Premier League goals against Forest, his joint-most against any single opponent, along with Tottenham.

Only Alan Shearer (10) and Matt Le Tissier (eight) have found the net against Forest more often in the competition.

But this is only the second instance in the last 14 seasons of Liverpool failing to win either of their opening two Premier League games, also drawing their first two in 2022-23.

Isak, however, is confident results will turn if they continue to take Iraola’s messages onboard. 

He told TNT Sports: “I think there’s no problem with our fighting spirit and never giving up. I think we showed that last week as well. 

“Obviously, we started the game pretty badly today as well. When we gained momentum by scoring a goal, that’s where we need to be better, I think, because again today we conceded quite quickly after that. 

“But from the position we were in, it’s always good to get something out of the game. There’s always time to get used to a new playing style and a new manager. 

“But we are really working hard to try to play the game he wants us to play, and I think when we start doing that better, I have no doubt that the results will come.”

Thank you for your support at Anfield during our first home game of the season  pic.twitter.com/o7MtbY0SAu

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 29, 2026

Liverpool are only the second Premier League side to open a campaign with back-to-back 2-2 draws, after their Merseyside rivals Everton did so in 2014-15.

Though Iraola is yet to oversee a victory since joining Liverpool from Bournemouth, his unbeaten Premier League run now stands at 20 games and dates back to early January (W18 D12) – he is only the 12th manager to enjoy a 20-match unbeaten streak in the competition, but the first two do so with two different clubs.

Reflecting on Liverpool’s performance, Iraola rued a couple of tight offside decisions – one of which saw Florian Wirtz have a goal disallowed in the first half – but praised their improvement in the second period.

“It was two different halves. I think we were very poor in the first half,” Iraola said.

“Their goal was slightly onside and the [disallowed] one we scored was slightly offside with VAR, so you need to be on the right side. We were much, much better in the second half.

“The intensity was different. If you’re going to lose, you have to lose like we were in the second half – more intense and threatening. I was happy with the second half, but it was too late to win the game.”

Liverpool’s next chance to get off the mark for 2026-27 comes against newly promoted Ipswich Town on Friday, before they open their Champions League campaign against Atletico Madrid on September 9.

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