Iraola cites poor first half and electronic board malfunction after Liverpool draw with Forest

Andoni Iraola bemoaned a poor first-half display plus a broken electronic board for Liverpool’s disappointing 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in the first home game of his Anfield reign. Forest led twice, but were denied a third successive Premier League win at Liverpool by Víctor Muñoz’s emphatic 82nd-minute equaliser.

The visitors’ second goal, from a penalty converted by Morgan Gibbs-White, stemmed from a throw-in taken quickly by Liam Delap while Iraola was attempting to make a triple substitution.

He was prevented from doing so because the fourth official was unable to flash up the substitutes’ numbers due to a malfunctioning electronic board. “I cannot explain because I don’t have an explanation,” said the exasperated Liverpool head coach.

“I wanted to make those substitutions about three minutes before. It was two, three, four times the ball had gone out. He [the fourth official] was having some problems with the board. The penalty wouldn’t have happened if I had made the subs.

“I had complained the previous time. The supporters were shouting and they were aware of the situation. I’ll leave you to decide whether it was a penalty or not.”

Despite his annoyance over the buildup to Forest’s penalty, Iraola conceded that Liverpool created their own problems for the second week in succession with a sluggish start.

He said: “The first half was poor, it was not good enough. We haven’t controlled the game and after we improved a lot in the second half. We were much more intense, quicker on the ball and had more urgency, but it hasn’t been enough to win the game and we have to blame the first half.

“I am frustrated because we want to win, especially at home. It’s not a good result. We have come back from two results where we were losing and I like what we have done in the second half, but we haven’t been able to complete the comeback.

“In the first half we were too passive without the ball. Afterwards we improved this and intensity gives you the chance to win duels and attack quicker and better. But in the first half there was a lack of intensity and we had issues with throw-ins today.”