Iraola credits Araújo for Liverpool’s set-piece improvement ahead of Arsenal clash

Andoni Iraola said on 30 October 2026 that Ronald Araújo has been a key factor in Liverpool’s improvement defending set pieces in the Premier League, speaking ahead of his side’s match with Arsenal on Sunday. He added that Arsenal represent the "biggest challenge" to his team's defensive record.

Liverpool have not conceded a set-piece goal in the Premier League this season and have shipped only one goal overall, Conor Gallagher’s consolation header past Giorgi Mamardashvili in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup defeat at Anfield in September. Last season Arne Slot’s side conceded 20 non-penalty set-piece goals in the Premier League, the joint-most in the competition alongside Crystal Palace and Iraola’s Bournemouth. Iraola credited his assistants, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, and the club analysts with this season’s set-piece figures, and said the addition of Araújo to his defence has played a major role.

"It definitely helps having a centre-back at right-back when we talk about defending set pieces," said Iraola, who could have Dominik Szoboszlai and Víctor Muñoz back from injury. "It helps with the height and the physicality of the team."

"It helps us to defend better but it is true that you also lose a little bit offensively on the other side. Offensively we cannot demand of Ronald the same thing as other full-backs and what they give us, but we have to balance this with other patterns."

Arsenal scored 25 set-piece goals, excluding penalties, en route to winning the title last season but have yet to show the same prowess this term, Iraola noted. "It is very early in the season and they hadn’t scored [from set pieces] until last weekend and now they have scored," Iraola said. "I hope they stay that way for a while but they are a big threat."

"From set pieces they are a big threat. They have very tall players who are very good headers and they work it very well. They give you a big demand and I think we will have to defend very well. I think we have, touch wood, dealt very well with defending set pieces so far this season. But Arsenal is probably the biggest challenge."

Liverpool meet Arsenal on Sunday. Iraola said he could have Dominik Szoboszlai and Víctor Muñoz available for that match.