Liverpool’s unbeaten start has given Andoni Iraola plenty of encouragement, but the real test of his squad could be about to begin.
The international break arrives at a useful time for Liverpool, particularly with a number of players carrying knocks and others still working their way towards full fitness.
But once the players return from international duty, the fixtures are going to come thick and fast.
And this is where Liverpool’s squad depth is going to be severely tested.
It starts with Manchester City
Liverpool return from the international break with one of the biggest fixtures imaginable.
Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, October 11.
The Premier League has confirmed the game will kick off at 4:30pm, before Liverpool then travel to LASK just three days later in the Champions League.
That’s the problem.
There is barely any time to recover.
Liverpool will go from a huge Premier League game against City straight into European competition, before another Premier League fixture at Brentford on October 17.
Then it gets even tougher.
Seven games in three weeks?
Liverpool face LASK on October 14, Brentford on October 17, Villarreal at Anfield on October 20 and Brighton on October 24.
Then comes another midweek Carabao Cup fixture in the week beginning October 26, before Arsenal visit Anfield on October 31.
The exact Carabao Cup date is still to be confirmed, but Liverpool are already scheduled to face Chelsea in the fourth round after beating Tottenham 3-1.
So Liverpool could potentially be looking at seven matches in just 21 days.
Manchester City.
LASK.
Brentford.
Villarreal.
Brighton.
Chelsea.
Arsenal.
That’s an enormous run of football.
And it is exactly why having a deep squad matters.
Iraola will have to rotate
There is simply no way Liverpool can expect the same XI to play every minute of that run.
Iraola will need to trust his squad.
That could mean opportunities for players such as Ryan Gravenberch, Trey Nyoni, Conor Bradley when available, Federico Chiesa, Hugo Ekitike when he returns, plus the likes of Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas.
The Champions League schedule alone means Liverpool have to be prepared for regular rotation.
Liverpool’s eight league-phase fixtures have already been confirmed, with LASK followed by Villarreal in October.
And then there is the Premier League.
This is where squad depth stops being a nice luxury and becomes essential.
Injuries could make the difference
Liverpool already know they cannot afford to lose too many players.
Conor Bradley is among those currently dealing with an injury, while the club’s latest official injury update also listed other absentees.
The good news is that Liverpool have players who can fill different positions.
Araújo has shown he can provide an alternative at right-back.
Gomez offers defensive versatility.
Tsimikas can come in at left-back.
Mac Allister can change the midfield.
Nyoni is beginning to look increasingly comfortable when given opportunities.
And then there is the attacking depth.
Gakpo, Isak, Wirtz, Barcola and Chiesa give Iraola several different combinations, even if not every player is currently at peak fitness.
That flexibility could prove absolutely crucial.
This is where we find out about the new Liverpool
One of the things I have liked about Iraola’s Liverpool so far is that he hasn’t been afraid to make changes.
The Carabao Cup victory over Tottenham was the perfect example.
Liverpool rotated heavily and still came away with a 3-1 victory, with Mac Allister, Gakpo and Szoboszlai getting the goals.
That was exactly the sort of performance Liverpool will need repeatedly over the next few months.
Because the objective cannot simply be to have 11 excellent players.
Liverpool need 16, 17, 18 players capable of contributing when called upon.
And they are about to find out whether they have them.
The midfield could be particularly important
This is probably the area I will be watching most closely.
Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Gravenberch have all been used in different combinations, while Nyoni is pushing for more opportunities.
With three games potentially arriving in the space of seven days, Iraola will have to manage those minutes carefully.
It also gives him an opportunity to discover which combinations genuinely work.
Perhaps a player who isn’t currently first choice suddenly becomes extremely important.
Perhaps Nyoni forces his way further into the picture.
Perhaps Gravenberch finds his best role.
Perhaps Mac Allister becomes the player Iraola simply cannot afford to leave out of the biggest games.
That’s one of the benefits of fixture congestion.
It forces managers to learn about their squads.
Liverpool cannot afford to panic
The temptation when injuries arrive and fixtures pile up is to look at the negatives.
But Liverpool have deliberately built a squad capable of competing across multiple competitions.
Now is the time for that investment to pay off.
Iraola doesn’t need every player to be perfect.
He needs them to contribute.
A 20-minute cameo from Nyoni.
A solid performance from Gomez.
A goal from Gakpo.
A big save from Mamardashvili if Alisson needs a rest.
A strong defensive display from Tsimikas.
Those moments could become enormously important.
This is where the season starts to get serious
Liverpool have made a promising start under Iraola, but we should be careful about drawing too many conclusions from the opening weeks.
The schedule after the international break will tell us much more.
Manchester City, LASK, Brentford, Villarreal, Brighton, Chelsea and Arsenal.
That is a brutal sequence of fixtures.
And it comes with Champions League football, a domestic cup tie and players returning from international duty.
Iraola’s biggest challenge won’t simply be finding his best Liverpool XI.
It will be keeping his entire squad fresh, motivated and ready to contribute.
If Liverpool can navigate this period without their season being derailed by injuries or fatigue, it could provide a huge platform for the months ahead.
Because the next few weeks aren’t just going to test Liverpool’s best players.
They are going to test the depth of the entire squad.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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