News'I like it' - Milos Kerkez discusses system under Andoni Iraola and mentoring role
Milos Kerkez is more than happy to play a mentoring role to some of Liverpool's younger players in helping them adapt to Andoni Iraola's system.
Kerkez is entering his fourth season as a Premier League player – his second as a Red – and worked under Iraola at AFC Bournemouth.
The squad took advantage of their first chance to showcase the Basque's style of play by beating Sunderland 4-2 in Nashville on Saturday during their pre-season tour of the USA.
Watch all of Liverpool's pre-season matches live on All Red Video this summer - join here
"I like it," Kerkez told Liverpoolfc.com. "You see me higher. I can play higher, going one against one.
"I still need to work a bit to get the legs but this is why this is pre-season and [it was] some good minutes.
"I'm really proud of everyone and we're working really hard this pre-season. You can see in training sessions, everyone is happy. We know what we have to do. A big season ahead."
Kerkez added: "It's my fourth year in the Premier League. Obviously my first year was development, it was tough. I needed to get in the gym a bit more.
"That's normal when you come to the biggest league in the world – it is so far ahead of any league. You need to build that physicality, you need to build the legs.
"We're all helping the young lads. There is a lot of quality and we need to help them. They will improve.
"I'm really, really happy with everyone and we build on this."
Kerkez explained what supporters should expect to see in the preparations for 2026-27 and when the competitive action gets under way in August.
"I think the heavy Liverpool team that Liverpool used to be – press, front foot, everyone in front," the left-back said. "Like I said, front-foot, full pressing.
"Anfield, obviously, is going to push us a lot, give us also that energy. When they see us pushing a lot, they're going to give us big support home and away.
"So the big difference is going to be, I think, the pressure, the pressing, the aggressiveness in our game this year."
Kieran Morrison netted the opener against Sunderland and, having then fallen behind, Liverpool scored three without reply in the second half through Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas.
Next up on the schedule is a meeting with Wrexham in New York City in the early hours of Thursday.
Kerkez said: "We talked in the locker room with the lads, 'Let's push hard from the beginning in the second half.' We scored a few and I think everyone did well.
"New York, nice. Obviously I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully big support there and we're going to put on a great performance for the fans there."