‘Physicality’ – Andoni Iraola raves about Liverpool man’s set-piece defending

Set-pieces will undoubtedly emerge as a big talking point tomorrow when Liverpool and Arsenal lock horns at Anfield.

Last season, the Reds were truly horrendous in this regard under Arne Slot as Aaron Briggs, who was the club’s set-piece coach at the time, was relieved of his duties.

Arsenal, on the other hand, dominated offensive set-pieces on their way to winning the Premier League title as Gabriel Magalhaes, in particular, scored some important goals for them.

And now, Andoni Iraola feels Liverpool are better in this regard thanks to the addition of Ronald Araujo at the back.

Andoni Iraola praises Liverpool loanee Ronald Araujo

“It definitely helps having a centre-back at right-back when we talk about defending set pieces,” said Iraola in his pre-match press conference.

“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.

Andoni Iraola on Ronald Araújo’s role in Liverpool’s set-piece improvement:

“It definitely helps having a centre-back at right-back when we talk about defending set pieces. It helps with the height and the physicality of the team.

“It helps us to defend better but it is true… pic.twitter.com/wdYPNnQHap

— AS (@Anfield_Sector) October 30, 2026

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“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.”

Araujo has been a pleasant surprise for Liverpool at right-back and has also scored two goals for the club – both in the UEFA Champions League.

His arrival has added another dimension to the team, while his character and experience could be vital when coming up against a side as talented as Arsenal.