How Liverpool are preparing to face six new managers in first six games

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This has been a summer of more change than usual in the Premier League with a record nine clubs appointing new managers.For Liverpool and Andoni Iraola, the schedule means they will face six teams with new managers in their first six top-flight matches, something that has never happened before in the Premier League era.Indeed, when BBC Sport asked Opta, it was unable to find an example of this ever having happened in England's top flight.Iraola himself is starting afresh too, having taken over at Anfield in June after leaving Bournemouth.So how does a team prepare to face a new manager and, in all likelihood, a side set up in a new way?"We are facing a lot of new managers so there is an extra part of the job to do," Iraola said. "Analysing how they played in previous clubs, certain situations they can use against us, things they have been doing."We had six games in pre-season to try to arrive in the best form for this first game of the season so now we are ready.

I have come with one analyst [from Bournemouth, Tom Webber] that has helped me with the integration."For Iraola, who would cut and edit his own videos when he first started at Bournemouth, the analysis department is a crucial part of his coaching. They have all had pre-season games at their new clubs to get used to their new environment.A new head coach offers the prospect of surprise for the opposition.Analysts can prepare for that as much as possible, but still might need to provide more information at short notice when teamsheets are exchanged.For instance, they might need to brief the manager, so they can make any necessary tactical tweaks, or speak to an individual player.Ian Graham, Liverpool's former director of research, has explained this in his book How To Win the Premier League.

"The first thing I want to do is get the basic principles so I look at their formation and how that changes when they are winning or losing," a current international manager said."Then you go deeper into how they play in different game states, who they pass to, where they look to progress the balls and how they take risks - and how all of these things change."In international football [like in pre-season], it's a bit difficult but you're try to see the patterns."Another source with understanding of top-level analysis added: "Pre-season footage is looked at, as it is the most recent insight available but it is rare for too much stock to be put into it."Instead, there is more focus on the manager's football at his previous club or clubs and a reasoned look at how they might setup."It is worth highlighting that there is an element of curiosity around the league as to how Liverpool will operate under Iraola too. And his Al-Ahli side were unbeaten at home in the Saudi Pro League last season, winning their last 13 games in a row.But Iraola is on the longest current unbeaten run of any manager in the Premier League, having not lost any of his final 18 games of last season with Bournemouth.