Andoni Iraola has overseen an unbeaten opening to his tenure as Liverpool manager, and attention is now turning to what could be a defining fixture of his early reign — a Premier League showdown with Manchester City this Sunday.

Big decisions paying off

Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor believes Iraola's willingness to make bold selection calls has been one of the most striking features of his time at Anfield so far. The decision to deploy Ronald Araujo at right-back ahead of Jeremie Frimpong has brought the defensive solidity Liverpool needed, while the manager has also shown faith in younger players such as Lewis Koumas and Trey Nyoni.

"It's not all been perfect, but we're gradually beginning to see Iraola's influence with the press," O'Connor noted. "Teams aren't able to settle on the ball as much as they would like to against Liverpool. Three clean sheets in the last three Premier League games show a team that defends the box a lot better."

O'Connor added that Liverpool are also moving the ball forward with greater urgency in possession, and that the hallmarks of a more high-octane approach are beginning to emerge. "I don't think we're too far away from seeing more regular high-octane football under him," he said.

Champions League win over Atletico Madrid a significant marker

Sky Sports News' Mark McAdam pointed to Liverpool's Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid as evidence that Iraola's side can compete at the highest level. "Not only does that show they can win games, but they can do it against the big teams — those sides that are going to challenge them," McAdam said.

McAdam was also keen to stress the importance of time for Iraola to implement his methods, drawing on the manager's track record at Bournemouth. "It certainly feels like he's very conscious that you need to be defensively solid and you need to have more of the ball," he added. "When he is at his very best, there's no question it will be one of the most exciting brands of football that Liverpool fans have seen for some time."

A pragmatic start with an eye on the bigger picture

Liverpool podcaster and writer Dan Morgan offered a nuanced assessment, noting that Iraola has shown pragmatism that some might not have anticipated given his reputation for relentless, high-energy football at Bournemouth.

"He surprised me in the sense that I thought his philosophy was going to be something he was wedded to unconditionally," Morgan said. "But he's done things that other Liverpool managers in the past would have done — using a centre-back at right-back to shore up defensive issues, trusting a young player like Lewis Koumas. That speaks to him recognising the size of the job."

Morgan suggested Iraola was acutely aware that a poor run of results early on could generate damaging pressure, and has quietly accumulated points as a result. Yet among Liverpool supporters, an appetite remains for the moment his vision fully ignites — and Sunday's home fixture against Manchester City could be exactly that.