It is early days but Andoni Iraola will know that if his time at Liverpool is going to be a success, then he must make Anfield a fortress again.

Liverpool were impressive for the most part against a Manchester City side that arrived on Merseyside with a 100 per cent record.

However, once Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute, they capitulated to a 3-0 defeat.

As Iraola said post-match to Match of the Day: "We played two different games. One until the red card, and then after.

"For 60 minutes, the players were very good. The second game from the red card was where City were better than us."

His unbeaten start is now over. This was actually his first Premier League defeat in 24 games (W10, D13) since January, including his time at Bournemouth.

The Reds, though, are now winless in three Premier League home matches this season - although they have won at Anfield in the Champions League and Carabao Cup - for just the second time ever.

That winless run in the league at Anfield stretches back to last season with Liverpool now winless in five successive Premier League home games (D4 L1).

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Winless and an 'easy touch' - what's happened to the Anfield fear factor?" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 Global Editorial Desk. Readers following "Winless and an 'easy touch' - what's happened to the Anfield fear factor?" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.