For Liverpool, the start of the 2026-27 campaign is not just about getting points on the board. It is also a first real test of how quickly a new idea can become a working one, and Milos Kerkez sounds convinced the answer is trending in the right direction.
Speaking before Sunday afternoon's trip to Newcastle United, Kerkez said he believes Liverpool are already sharper under Andoni Iraola, who has had the squad from the beginning of pre-season. That matters because the first league game comes after a long wait: Liverpool last played in the top flight 91 days before Sunday, and the restart arrives in one of the league's most difficult away environments.
Kerkez said he was “very excited” to get going again after a long summer and described the break as unusually long, noting that it was the first time he had a pause of five or six weeks. He said he began getting back into training after two or three weeks, using the last stretch of the off-season to rebuild toward the new campaign.
A new system, and more time to absorb it
The bigger story, though, is Liverpool's adjustment to Iraola's style. Kerkez called it “totally different” because of the high press and front-footed approach. In his view, the key is not just getting the ball back quickly but using that pressure to keep possession and control the game.
That process appears to have accelerated late in pre-season. Kerkez said Liverpool were better in the last two weeks, including matches against Monaco and Como, and suggested the team should be even more prepared now that the competitive fixtures are back. The message is simple: the ideas are there, but the opener will show how much of them can be transferred immediately.
And Newcastle, Kerkez made clear, is exactly the kind of test that reveals those details. He described St. James' Park as a great stadium with great fans, but also warned that the atmosphere should make the opening stages “explosive” in the first 10, 15 minutes. Liverpool, he said, need to stay calm after that, keep the ball and find a result.
There is a maturity to that answer that fits Kerkez's own situation. He said he is motivated to help the team and to compete across four competitions, but also “pretty calm” as he begins his fourth Premier League season. That balance is useful for Liverpool too. The season opener is likely to be fast, loud and messy. If Kerkez is right, the team that settles quickest may be the one that can turn early chaos into a statement win.
