Liverpool defender Milos Kerkez says he is thriving under the aggressive tactical approach implemented by new manager Andoni Iraola following the departure of Arne Slot.

The Spanish coach was appointed this summer with the mandate of reviving the Merseyside club after a bitterly disappointing second campaign under his Dutch predecessor.

Slot was dismissed following a season in which the team’s trademark intensity dropped alarmingly and their high press became worryingly erratic.

Iraola arrived at Anfield following three impressive years in charge of Bournemouth, bringing a reputation for a high-energy system without the ball.

Reuniting with a familiar system

The managerial change reunites the new head coach with a player he previously managed on the south coast.

The Hungarian international made a £40m move to Anfield last summer but failed to make his desired impact during a difficult debut campaign.

However, the 22-year-old is now confident he will flourish in a system that is fundamentally better suited to his attacking attributes.

We play really aggressive, we need to run a lot more, and it is good.

The full-back noted that competing at the top of the Premier League and Champions League requires this demanding level of physical output.

You can see I have more freedom to fly up and down, I’m really running more, putting more balls into boxes.

The former Bournemouth defender added that the entire squad has fully committed to playing on the front foot.

Building momentum for the new campaign

The Reds recently wrapped up their pre-season preparations with a 2-0 victory over Como, providing a much-needed morale boost following high-scoring defeats by Leeds and Monaco.

Both the Hungarian and teammate Jeremie Frimpong completed 90 minutes in the wide defensive positions during the reassuring victory.

Meanwhile, highly-rated prospect Jeremy Jacquet scored and impressed alongside captain Virgil van Dijk in central defence.

He was brilliant, really – defensively calm on the ball, plays hard, plays aggressive, which is definitely the Liverpool style of play.

New defensive signing Ronald Araujo also featured in the second half, helping goalkeeper Alisson secure a welcome clean sheet.

The Anfield side will officially begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a challenging away fixture against Newcastle United on Sunday.

Premier League clubs have already spent a staggering £2.14bn during the summer transfer window, threatening to shatter previous spending records with over two weeks still remaining before deadline day.

That enormous figure has already surpassed the complete summer outlays recorded in several recent seasons.

According to data provided by FootballTransfers.com, the current expenditure trails only the £2.36bn spent in 2023 and the all-time record of £3.14bn.

Another historic financial milestone remains highly possible as teams finalise their squads.

English top flight dwarfs European rivals

The financial disparity between England and the rest of Europe remains incredibly stark.

Top-flight English sides have committed more money this summer than the other four major European leagues combined.

In contrast to the English dominance, Serie A teams have spent £780m so far.

They are followed distantly by La Liga (£515m), the Bundesliga (£505m), and Ligue 1 (£412m).

Chelsea lead the domestic financial charge

The Blues are setting the pace in the market, having already committed £348m this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are the next highest spenders on £228m, while Arsenal and Manchester City have both invested £151m.

This immense financial outlay is not solely confined to the traditional elite.

Aston Villa, Brentford, and Brighton are among several clubs to have broken their all-time transfer records during this window.

Keeping the wealth within the division

A defining feature of this current window has been the immense volume of business conducted between domestic rivals.

Almost £785m has been spent on intra-league transfers, representing nearly a third of all overall expenditure.

Eight of the 12 most expensive acquisitions so far have involved players moving directly between two English top-flight clubs.

The traditional Big Six have been the primary drivers of this trend, paying £546.5m to recruit established talent from their domestic counterparts.

Defending champions Arsenal begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign this weekend as top-flight football returns following the summer World Cup.

The north London club ended a 22-year wait to lift the league trophy in May and now face the monumental challenge of retaining their crown.

Early indications suggest the reigning champions are ready for the task after dismantling last season’s runners-up Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield.

That comprehensive victory served as a stark warning to the rest of the division ahead of matchday one.

New arrivals join the top flight

The upcoming 38-game marathon also welcomes three newly promoted clubs eager to establish themselves among the elite.

Hull City, Coventry City and Ipswich Town have all ascended from the Championship to join the highest tier of English football.

Fans across the country are eagerly anticipating the opening fixtures, although traditional television broadcast restrictions remain in place.

Broadcast rules and schedule

Supporters are reminded that matches kicking off at 15:00 on Saturdays will not be televised live in the UK due to longstanding blackout regulations.

The opening weekend promises a slate of intriguing derbies and storylines as all 20 clubs start with a clean slate.

Alexander Isak will face a hostile reception when he returns to Newcastle United this weekend for Andoni Iraola’s first competitive match as Liverpool manager.

The Swedish international missed both encounters against his former employers last season.

A record £125m transfer last summer sparked fury among the St James’ Park faithful after the striker went on strike to force the move.

He subsequently suffered a broken leg before Christmas, delaying his first appearance back in the North East.

Iraola faces early midfield dilemmas

The new Reds boss must navigate several major selection headaches ahead of the high-profile fixture.

World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister is lacking match fitness following an extended summer break.

Academy prospect Trey Nyoni could therefore be handed a shock start alongside Dominik Szoboszlai.

The talented teenager has impressed during pre-season and may edge out the more experienced Ryan Gravenberch.

New defensive recruits ready for debut

Changes are also expected at the back as the visitors look to implement a highly attacking system.

Summer arrival Ronald Araujo is guaranteed to make his debut alongside captain Virgil van Dijk in central defence.

The Uruguayan loan signing has been preferred to Jeremy Jacquet in anticipation of a fierce physical battle on Tyneside.

Flying full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are set to complete a revamped backline for the Merseyside club.

Predicted starting lineup

Iraola is expected to field a fresh side featuring several recent additions.

The Scottish Football Association has officially lost confidence in Gianni Infantino and will not support his re-election as Fifa president following controversies over commercial rights.

The decision comes amid mounting pressure on the global governing body’s leadership regarding a recently abandoned commercial venture.

Fifa Forward Enterprise was a proposed company designed to manage commercial and ticketing rights for all major tournaments, including future World Cups.

The highly controversial plan aimed to sell a significant stake to a private investment firm, sparking immediate and widespread backlash across the sport.

Maxwell confirms unified Uefa stance

Chief executive Ian Maxwell confirmed the move while simultaneously announcing Belgian Sebastian Pocognoli as the new Scotland head coach.

He stated that the national body is strictly aligning itself with Uefa’s broader opposition to the current global leadership.

“The SFA will not be voting for Gianni Infantino come the re-election in early 2027,” Maxwell told BBC Sport.

“Their statement since then has talked about a lack of confidence in the Fifa leadership and the Scottish FA agree completely with that decision,” the chief executive added.

He also forcefully rejected suggestions that previous silence was linked to Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney currently heading the global finance committee.

Deception accusations and breakaway threats

The football associations of England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland have already publicly withdrawn their backing for the incumbent president.

Last week, an open letter from Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation heavily criticised the aborted commercial proposals.

The regional governing bodies explicitly accused the sport’s highest office of breaking foundational trust through deliberate deception.

They demanded that any subsequent governance review should be conducted by a fully independent third party rather than an internal council.

Future consequences for world football

The European administrative body has even issued stern legal warnings demanding that all documents related to the abandoned plans are permanently preserved.

Preliminary discussions have reportedly taken place between several confederations regarding potential breakaway competitions if the current administration remains in power.

Despite the fierce and growing opposition, no rival candidate has yet stepped forward to challenge for the presidency ahead of the upcoming electoral deadlines.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has reportedly agreed personal terms with Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal ahead of a potential summer transfer.

The Middle Eastern giants have made the 28-year-old their top priority as they seek a replacement for former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema.

Benzema is currently out of favour under manager Simone Inzaghi following a January move from domestic rivals Al Ittihad.

However, no direct negotiations have yet taken place with the Premier League side.

Al Hilal must first offload their French veteran, who is demanding his final contract year be paid out in full, before they can table a formal bid.

Villa face major squad overhaul

A departure for the England international would represent another massive change for the Midlands club this window.

The Villans have already lost Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, Lucas Digne to Paris St-Germain and Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.

Key midfielder Amadou Onana is also set to miss the upcoming campaign with a serious knee injury.

Manager Unai Emery has attempted to rebuild his ranks by recruiting Joao Gomes alongside Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Matteo Ruggeri is also expected to arrive from Atletico Madrid, while Zion Suzuki will join as a new first-choice goalkeeper amid speculation surrounding Emiliano Martinez.

Emery desperate to keep attacking focal point

Losing such a prolific frontman at this late stage of the window would be a devastating blow to the Villa boss.

The former Brentford star has been an elite focal point for the team since the Spanish tactician arrived at Villa Park.

Emery has frequently praised his star striker’s relentless work ethic and professional attitude.

“He’s amazing,” Emery said. “Because he’s a really hard worker and his commitment to work every day is amazing.”

“When he is scoring goals, it’s the main objective he can have. Where he is assisting as well, he’s contributing to help the team.”

“His commitment and behaviour is always a very good example for others. His mentality is the best quality he has.”

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that forging a solid partnership with new defensive arrivals Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo will take time following a major summer rebuild.

The Anfield club underwent significant restructuring at the back during the off-season.

This overhaul was triggered by Ibrahima Konate’s departure and persistent fitness issues for Joe Gomez and Giovani Leoni.

Integrating the new arrivals

French defender Jacquet finally made his debut in Sunday’s 2-0 friendly victory over Como.

A season-ending injury had delayed the 21-year-old’s first appearance since completing a £60m transfer late in the winter window.

He delivered an impressive 45-minute performance and scored the second goal before making way for Araujo.

The former Barcelona captain also caught the eye after arriving a week ago on a loan deal featuring an option to buy.

Building vital connections

Jacquet is widely expected to start the league opener against Newcastle United at St James’ Park this weekend.

However, the Netherlands skipper stressed that competitive match conditions are essential for developing a genuine understanding.

“I won’t say it’s the only way, but games are totally different than training,” Van Dijk explained.
“Jeremy’s English is a bit better than Ronald’s, but at the end of the day we are all pretty good footballers who can see and smell some moments on how to defend.”
“But it’s pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and that takes a bit of time.”

A new era under Iraola

The upcoming fixture on Tyneside marks the first major test for new head coach Andoni Iraola.

The Spanish tactician is seeking to reinstate the high-tempo pressing style synonymous with Jurgen Klopp, following Arne Slot’s two-year tenure.

To facilitate this aggressive approach, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have been deployed in deeper midfield roles.

This tactical shift allows recent addition Florian Wirtz to operate further forward as a traditional number 10.

Despite these creative changes, the Reds appear slightly depleted in the attacking areas heading into the new campaign.

The Merseyside outfit will start a season without Mohamed Salah for the first time in nine years, while Hugo Ekitike remains sidelined following Achilles surgery.

Managing match intensity

Iraola previously noted during pre-season that his squad struggled to maintain peak running levels for more than 30 minutes.

Van Dijk, however, offered a pragmatic perspective on the immense physical demands of top-flight football.

“What I see is that no team in world football can play full intensity for 90 minutes,” the defender added.
“Obviously you’re going to have some moments where players get tired and then it’s down to us to make sure we are compact and find the right moment to press again.”
“It’s a team game and we need everyone together in order to be able to do that.”

Martin Odegaard hopes to use the frustration of an injury-hit campaign to fuel Arsenal’s Premier League title defence following their dominant Community Shield victory over Manchester City.

The Norwegian midfielder lifted the Premier League trophy in May to end the club’s long wait for a league championship.

However, his individual contributions were frequently disrupted by persistent knee, shoulder, and muscle problems.

These physical setbacks restricted the playmaker to just 16 league starts during a historic season for the North London side.

Frustrations turn to motivation

The Arsenal captain was forced to miss the Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester City during his challenging spell on the sidelines.

Mikel Arteta’s side spectacularly reversed that result on Sunday with a commanding 3-0 triumph in the Community Shield.

Capping a standout performance in the Welsh capital, the talented creator scored his first club goal since December.

“Last year was really a big struggle with a lot of difficult moments,” Odegaard said.
“It is the worst thing for a footballer to not be able to be on the pitch and I had quite a lot of weird injuries, and bad luck.”
“Last season, to miss so many games because of injury was really frustrating. What I have just worked on is to use that as motivation for this year and to come back stronger.”

Guimaraes adds midfield steel

Arsenal delivered a massive statement of intent by dismantling the opponents widely expected to be their main title challengers.

Their squad has been significantly strengthened by the £75m arrival of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United.

The Scandinavian star revealed he has already formed a strong understanding with the Brazilian international.

“Since the first day he came in, it has been such a natural thing,” Odegaard explained.
“He has just come into the team as a real natural part of the team. He can win the ball, he’s a fighter.”

Transition period for Maresca’s City

While Arsenal look incredibly settled, Manchester City are enduring a difficult start under new manager Enzo Maresca.

The Italian tactician replaced Pep Guardiola during the summer and faces a major rebuilding task at the Etihad Stadium.

City’s challenges have been compounded by news that Barcelona have had a £65.4m bid accepted for Spain midfielder Rodri.

Following the heavy defeat in Cardiff, City defender Ruben Dias admitted the squad is going through a transitional phase.

“It is the beginning of the season, it is not good enough,” Dias told TNT Sports.
“It’s part of any transition for things to be not so perfect in the beginning. You need to push through, you need to communicate, and make things work between us.”