Carragher urges Liverpool to drop Wirtz

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Jamie Carragher thinks it is time for Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola to take Florian Wirtz out of the starting XI.

Wirtz featured from the off in Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

The Germany playmaker had two shots, missing the target with both of them, and created two chances, while he won only 4/10 duels before he was substituted off in the wake of Ryan Gravenberch’s red card in the 62nd minute.

Man City breezed to victory from there, with Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki on target as Iraola suffered his first loss in charge of Liverpool.

Wirtz went into the international break last month as the only player to rank in the top 10 in the Premier League this season for high-intensity pressures in the opponent’s half (181), runs ahead of the ball (34) and defensive line-breaking passes (16).

He has created 14 chances for Liverpool this term, which ranks second in the Reds’ squad, but has registered only one assist. Wirtz has 16 goal involvements (seven goals, nine assists) in 56 appearances since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen, but Carragher feels it is time to make a change.

“I think he needs to come out of the team, I said that last time out and I’m going to say it again,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“I said Liverpool played well today for a lot of the game before the Gravenberch red card but they didn’t create a chance, so Liverpool have a real problem this season with scoring goals and creating chances and that’s what you bought Wirtz for.

1 – Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz is the only player to rank in the top 10 in the Premier League this season for each of: High-intensity pressures in opp half (181 – =7th) Runs ahead of the ball (34 – =1st) Defensive line-breaking passes (16 – 8th) Perceptions. https://t.co/KGXJpF7w38

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 22, 2026

“He’s not giving you anything defensively and he’s not giving you anything going the other way.

“I don’t want anyone to pile in on the lad or have a go but I just think we’re justified in saying we need more and we can’t wait.

“I went back and looked at players who were deemed not good enough for Liverpool in terms of going to win a league title or a European Cup but had real impact in those positions. Players like Nicky Barmby, Vladimir Smicer, Yossi Benayoun, Maxi Rodriguez, Yari Litmanen, Philippe Coutinho, Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman.

“They’ve brought more to the table than this lad right now and I just think we’re at a stage where we can’t wait any longer.

“I think there’s got to be a rebalance of the midfield to get goals and assists in there and to get legs, height and power in there. Gravenberch has to play in that team.”

Liverpool take on LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday, before travelling to Brentford on Saturday.

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