Liverpool twice gave up a lead to taste defeat against Fenerbahce during a worrying Champions League performance on Wednesday evening.

The Reds had been perfect in their three opening European fixtures of the season, but having conceded three goals against both LASK and Villarreal in their last two games, they completed a disappointing hat-trick in Istanbul.

Iraola frustrated by set-piece failure

One of the most concerning things about Liverpool’s defeat on Wednesday was that all three of the goals were oh so preventable.

The worst of the lot was probably Vedat Muriqi’s game-clinching third, but the other two were almost as bad, with Iraola pointing the finger at his team for suddenly rediscovering their fragility from dead-balls.

“The main reason that I can find for why we lost this game is we conceded from three set pieces,” he said in his post-match press conference.

“It’s something that we were doing very well in the league, we were doing quite well until today.

“We knew it was one of the strengths of Fenerbahce. We concede from a free-kick, a corner and even from the long throw at the end. They’re goals that have hurt us because we’ve gone twice in front after having good moments, controlling the game, arriving, we’ve found the goals but after we’ve conceded in situations we should definitely defend better.

“It’s frustration because it’s a difficult place to come here and play,” Iraola added. “In most parts of the game we were thinking we could win this one but obviously it hasn’t happened.

“Especially the first goal and the third goal – the second one is a rebound – but the first one, I don’t think we set the wall properly and the last one, Muriqi wins the ball against three defenders, it’s definitely something we need to defend better.”

Liverpool have largely been better in defending their own box from opposition set-plays this season, but this was an unwelcome return to the dark, dark days under Arne Slot last year. This needs fixing, and fast.