Liverpool's problems did not disappear with the arrival of a new head coach. The Reds opened their campaign with a performance that offered uncomfortable echoes of last season's struggles — the very issues that prompted the club to make a managerial change in the first place.

Andoni Iraola, brought in to breathe fresh life into Anfield, faces an immediate challenge. His first competitive outing with Liverpool suggested that the underlying issues plaguing the squad have not yet been resolved, leaving questions about how quickly he can impose his ideas on a group that visibly needs direction.

Last season's disappointing results cost the previous manager his job, and the expectation heading into the new campaign was that a reset was imminent. Instead, the opener served as a reminder that rebuilding a team's identity takes time — and that new faces in the dugout do not guarantee instant improvements on the pitch.

Liverpool's squad retains much of the same personnel, and while Iraola's methods and tactical blueprint differ from what came before, embedding that vision into the team requires patience from supporters and the club's hierarchy alike. The early signs suggest there is plenty of work still to do at Anfield.