Anfield No Longer Feels Like a Fortress for Liverpool

For decades, Anfield has been one of the hardest places in English football to visit. The noise, the steep stands and the sense that the home side will not be beaten have unsettled plenty of opponents. Recently, though, that reputation looks shakier, and Liverpool have been left winless and vulnerable on their own ground.

The mood has shifted enough that some visiting teams now arrive with more belief than fear. Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth head coach, is still searching for his first Premier League win at Anfield, a reminder of how demanding the venue has traditionally been. For a manager trying to build something new, the ground has been a stubborn obstacle rather than a place where the old intimidation has held firm.

The question now is whether this is a temporary dip or a sign that the atmosphere has lost some of its edge. Liverpool supporters will be hoping for a quick reset, because a home record that starts to look ordinary changes how every opponent approaches the trip north. Until the results turn, the "easy touch" label will be hard to shake.