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Andoni Iraola has explained why he took a hard-line decision with Jeremy Jacquet during Liverpool’s hard-earned win over Ipswich Town. Even though the young defender came close to being sent off, the Reds manager said the Frenchman needed to go through that pressure as part of his long-term development at Anfield.

A calculated gamble at Portman Road

Iraola has spoken about his choice to leave Jacquet on the field during the club’s first Premier League win of the season, a 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town. Jacquet was booked in the 52nd minute after a high-footed challenge on Emersonn, and the pressure rose almost immediately afterwards. The French defender may have been fortunate not to receive a second yellow card after pulling the Brazilian forward to the ground as Ipswich tried to break through Liverpool’s defensive line.

While plenty of managers may have chosen the safer option of substituting a young defender already on a yellow card, Iraola went another way. The 21-year-old Frenchman, who arrived at the Reds from Rennes this summer, was right in the middle of a physical second-half contest that tested both his fitness and his discipline.

Building fitness the hard way

Iraola was open about what he was thinking during the game, admitting he did consider making a change when Jacquet started to struggle. But the Spaniard feels the only way for the defender to reach the level required is to push through fatigue and difficult moments. Jacquet started Liverpool’s opening two league matches but was not physically able to complete either one, lasting 69 minutes against Newcastle United and 76 minutes in the draw with Nottingham Forest.

“For any centre-back to play alongside Virgil is a lesson and a masterclass. Jeremy played his first full game. Physically, he could not finish the first two games,” Iraola told Sky Sports. “Today, there was a moment in the second half when I had a doubt, but I think he has to suffer and go through those periods. He finished the game well and will slowly keep building the fitness.”

Defensive resilience and attacking promise

Apart from the disciplinary tension, Jacquet also showed why Liverpool were so eager to bring him to Anfield this summer. He produced an excellent piece of anticipation to block an Emersonn effort after Leif Davis had headed an Abdul Fatawu cross back into the danger area. His combination with Virgil van Dijk, Ronald Araujo and Milos Kerkez looked increasingly solid as the match went on, laying the platform for Alexander Isak to wrap up the win at the other end.

Jacquet also gave a glimpse of the technical quality Iraola wants from his modern ball-playing defenders. In one second-half move, he played a sharp vertical pass through the Ipswich lines to find Florian Wirtz. Although the German midfielder’s resulting volley was saved, the passage underlined Jacquet’s ability to help move the team quickly from defence into attack.

Looking ahead to European challenges

Coming through the test against Ipswich will give Jacquet a major lift in confidence as the fixture list starts to become more demanding. The clean sheet at Portman Road convinced Iraola that the young defender could ride out a difficult spell without the match slipping away, something that will be vital as the club juggles domestic commitments with European competition. With a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid coming up on Wednesday, the fitness of the entire defensive unit will come under scrutiny. Jacquet’s ability to complete the full 90 minutes now gives Iraola greater tactical flexibility when rotating his squad against top-level opposition.