The early stages of the 2026/27 Premier League season will be very interesting for Liverpool as the club embarks on a new era. Andoni Iraola has been appointed manager and he will look to quickly enforce his footballing philosophy at Anfield.

The Spaniard arrives from Bournemouth, taking over Arne Slot, who left after winning the league in his debut campaign, before following it up with a poor second season. The Reds finished 5th in 2025/26, managing 24 points fewer than they had when lifting the title 12 months prior.

After Slot’s exit, it looks as though Iraola has a big job on his hands. The 44-year-old has made no secret of that, and his recent comments on the matter have caused a bit of a stir.

Iraola Claims Liverpool Stars ‘Can Only Run for 30 Minutes’

Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley

Pre-season has shown some worrying signs in the past two games. Against both Leeds United and then Monaco, Liverpool threw away a two-goal lead and went on to lose the game. Speaking to the press after the game, Iraola made a rather alarming comment as he suggested his players ‘can only run for 30 minutes’, explaining:

Of course, pre-season is a time where most squads may look a little unfit, as players look to rebuild fitness after spending time away from football over the summer. Even so, with the Premier League season kicking off in less than two weeks, it’s not ideal to suggest that the Liverpool stars only have about 30 minutes in them.

Liverpool Fans Blame Arne Slot Over Fitness Concerns

After Iraola’s claims, some Liverpool fans have seen it as a damning comment on the training regime under former boss Slot. Under the Dutchman, some players seemed unhappy with the direction of things, with Mohamed Salah most notably speaking out against his former boss.

Calling back to the energy-filled days under Jurgen Klopp, Salah said: “I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies.” While it’s unclear if he was specifically unhappy with training methods, he certainly wasn’t happy with Slot’s overall coaching.

Now, after Iraola’s suggestions that the team isn’t fit, many Liverpool supporters have blamed the current issues as a lasting legacy of their former coach. One wrote:

“Slot’s training methods were a disgrace.” Another agreed, adding: “Slot really ruined the team’s fitness last season. More holidays than training.”

In response to the comments, someone else said: “We’ve known that since Slot lost the plot in his title-winning season.” While another wrote: “All thanks to Slot. He has destroyed the elite fitness these players had.”

A final fan summed up the sentiment, remarking: “Arne Slot’s Liverpool legacy right here.”

Tottenham Hotspur are still looking to add a new forward to Roberto De Zerbi’s squad ahead of the Italian coach’s first full season in charge.

This has been arguably the busiest summer in the club’s history and six signings have been made thus far for a staggering £237 million. De Zerbi’s midfield has been sorted out following the arrivals of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United for £100 million and Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United for £85 million.

Spurs were interested in Bournemouth striker Junior Kroupi, but the French youngster’s pre-season injury means they are reportedly shelving a pursuit until next year. That hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a new centre-forward arriving in North London, with question marks over Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

Mateta Is The Answer For Tottenham

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Tottenham could and should turn to Crystal Palace frontman Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has just a year remaining on his contract. The Frenchman has shown throughout his time with the Eagles that he can be relied upon to lead the line effectively.

Mateta has become a hero at Selhurst Park after scoring the winner in the Eagles’ UEFA Conference League final win over Rayo Vallecano. He made amends with fans after pushing to leave the club in January before failing a medical with AC Milan ahead of a proposed £35 million switch.

While the 29-year-old is back on good terms with the South Londoners’ supporters, there’s no indication that he’ll be extending his contract. This could pave the way for Spurs to make a move for the experienced forward and potentially allow them to plot a move for Kroupi further down the line.

Stats courtesy of StatMuse – correct as of 10/08/2026

Mateta joined Palace from Bundesliga outfit Mainz in January 2022 and, after a slow start, has become a talisman for the Eagles. He is a popular figure at Selhurst Park due to his bubbly personality, which could be a good fit for this Spurs side.

A Short-Term Fix Well Worth Making

While the prospect of signing a young, exciting talent like Kroupi had been appealing, Spurs need a reliable goalscorer who can come straight into De Zerbi’s team and make an impact. Mateta is the ideal solution given his Premier League experience and consistency in front of goal.

Mateta has become one of the most highly-regarded strikers in English football and earned huge praise from Wayne Rooney a year ago. The Manchester United legend was surprised at the lack of interest when speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live:

Manchester United were linked with Mateta earlier this summer but haven’t made a concrete move for the Palace star. There were suggestions that Steve Parish and his board could sanction a transfer for just £25 million.

If Mateta is available for that price, it would make sense for Spurs to be circling for his signature, as it would not only allow them to strengthen their frontline before planning for Kroupi next year. They can also continue to pursue deals for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Manchester City’s Savinho.

Tottenham transfer targets

Spurs kick their season off against Brentford on August 22nd, and while De Zerbi has undoubtedly improved his squad, a new number nine feels the missing piece of the puzzle. Mateta might be a short-term fix, but one that can fire the Lilywhites back to Europe.

Ahead of the new Premier League season, there will be plenty of narratives for Arsenal to contend with. The primary one will focus on how well they can defend their title, but one player may have to deal with diving allegations.

That is at least the feelings of former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett. The retired referee has singled out one star in Mikel Arteta’s current group as a possible issue for officials to deal with in 2026/27.

The man in question is Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 21 times in total for the Gunners last term, leading the line as the north London outfit finally got their hands on the Premier League title after a 22-year wait. Despite that, his performances left many unconvinced, and Hackett has forecast more difficulties ahead for the Swede.

Mikel Arteta Told To ‘Have a Word’ With Arsenal ‘Diver’

In Arsenal’s latest pre-season friendly, Gyokeres started as the Gunners were beaten 3-2 by Borussia Dortmund at home in the Emirates Cup. The 28-year-old had a mixed outing, scoring from the penalty spot, but also missing a few other openings as he looked to build his match sharpness.

One moment in particular sparked a strong reaction from ex-PGMOL boss Hackett.

In the 40th minute, new signing Christos Tzolis clipped a clever ball down the channel for Gyokeres to run onto. It looked as though the centre-forward was in a good position to get a shot away, but instead threw himself to the floor under pressure from Joane Gadou.

The plea for a penalty was waved away by the referee, with Gyokeres left frustrated. Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett couldn’t understand why the Arsenal star went down. He then claimed that referees have now ‘clocked’ his poor diving skills, noting

Arsenal will begin the 2026/27 season with the curtain-raiser Community Shield match against Manchester City on 16 Augst. Although many view that game much like a glorified friendly, Gyokeres has insisted it means a lot to the players.

After the Dortmund game, when asked how seriously he will be taking it, he looked perplexed by the question, firing back: “I don’t know what other people think, but of course we want to win that game for sure. There is no question about that.”

After that, the Gunners kick off their title defence with their Premier League opener at the Emirates. against newly-promoted Coventry City on 21 August.