Carragher urges Liverpool to drop Wirtz for Manchester City clash

Jamie Carragher has called for Florian Wirtz to be left out of Liverpool’s side for the October 11 meeting with Manchester City at Anfield, arguing that the German midfielder’s contribution in the 1-0 win at Bournemouth fell well below the required level.

Bournemouth performance raises fresh concerns

1. Liverpool won 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium, but Wirtz struggled to impose himself on the contest.
2. During first-half co-commentary, Carragher said Wirtz had again been poor, with Liverpool getting virtually no attacking impact from his display.
3. Wirtz completed passes at a rate of 63 per cent, the lowest figure among Liverpool’s players in the match. Milos Kerkez and Alexander Isak each registered 75 per cent.
4. On the Jamie Carragher Podcast, the former Liverpool defender described it as among Wirtz’s weakest outings since joining the club.

Carragher said his concern went beyond a single disappointing afternoon. He accepted that Wirtz can usually offer tidy possession play and escape pressure in situations where other players might surrender the ball, but questioned whether the midfielder’s current level is simply what Liverpool should expect from him.

He said doubts had been in his mind for around 12 months, even if he had not voiced them publicly at the time. Carragher also pointed to Wirtz’s lack of decisive output, saying the 23-year-old has not produced the numbers expected of a player brought in to elevate Liverpool’s ambitions.

Selection issue before Manchester City

Wirtz’s position in the team has, in Carragher’s view, created a broader balance problem. Playing him as a number 10 can require other important players to operate away from their preferred roles, with Dominik Szoboszlai specifically affected.

Carragher believes the gap between Wirtz’s current displays and the expectations surrounding him is now substantial. He said Liverpool had expected the midfielder to help drive another league title push and take the side towards Champions League success, but felt the distance to that standard may be too great to bridge.

With Manchester City, described as the reigning champions, due at Anfield on October 11, Carragher urged Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola to make a firm selection decision. On present form, he said, Wirtz would not be in his Liverpool XI for that fixture.

Germany break offers route to reset

1. Wirtz is due to join the Germany squad for three weeks during the international break.
2. Germany manager Jürgen Klopp has selected him for Nations League matches against Serbia and Greece.
3. Carragher sees the spell with Germany as Wirtz’s best opportunity to rebuild confidence before returning to Liverpool.

Klopp, formerly Liverpool manager, knows the demands around Anfield and retains strong faith in Wirtz’s standing within the German setup. Carragher said the midfielder is regarded as one of Germany’s leading players and suggested Klopp’s personality and ability to draw more from individuals could help restore his form.

For Liverpool, the next question is whether that international spell can produce enough of a change for Wirtz to force his way back into contention for the Manchester City match.