Andoni Iraola responds to Jamie Carragher statement on Liverpool title challenge

Iraola cautioned against early title talk ahead of Sunday's Arsenal clash, saying it's too soon to assess Liverpool's championship credentials in October.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has pushed back on suggestions his side should be considered title contenders, responding to comments from Jamie Carragher that the Reds are Arsenal's nearest challengers.

Ahead of Sunday's Premier League match against Arsenal at Anfield, Iraola said it remains too early in the season to assess the standings. "It is still October. We have to take one game at a time," he said on Friday. "The reference is more or less when we've played against each other once so halfway through the season. That's when you can start to look at the standings."

Liverpool arrive on the back of five consecutive victories and could move within three points of second-placed Arsenal with a win. Iraola acknowledged the demanding fixture schedule ahead, with seven of nine matches in 29 days before the international break, and confirmed the team will continue rotating the squad to manage the workload.