Carragher tells Slot to drop one player after Reds lose to Galatasaray: 'It's a mess'

Jamie Carragher thinks Liverpool should drop Florian Wirtz with the Reds needing to build “defensive solidity” to get back to their best.

Liverpool suffered their second defeat in four days as a Victor Osimhen penalty gave Galatasaray all three points in their Champions League clash in Istanbul.

It was another concerning performance from Arne Slot’s side who still look well below the levels of last season, which saw them lift the Premier League title.

Despite sitting top of the Premier League this campaign, many observers think they have been lucky to win five of their first six matches.

And Liverpool legend Carragher has pointed to their defence as being one of the main problems with the Reds lacking solidity in that area this term.

Carragher told CBS Sports: “I don’t feel like I’m watching a top team. Liverpool aren’t playing football right now, they are playing basketball, and it’s just end to end. I don’t think top teams play like that.

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“Liverpool went from a workmanlike team, and they’ve sprinkled a little bit of stardust on that with the transfers that they brought in.

“They haven’t gained anything going forward but they’ve lost a lot defensively.

“Last season was such a smooth ride but now he’s got to really earn his money because they are a few problems that need to be fixed.”

Anc Carragher also urged Slot to drop Liverpool attacking midfielder Wirtz, who joined in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that could be worth up to £116m, with the Germany international yet to provide a goal contribution this season.

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Carragher added: “Right now, I don’t think the balance of the team is right and the obvious one that stands out is Florian Wirtz – he’s just not at the races at all.

“He’s a young boy coming into a new league and he’s got plenty of time to go as a Liverpool player, but right now I think he needs to come out of the team, Liverpool get back to where they were last season and then go from there and try and build some confidence and defensive solidity because right now it is a mess.

“It’s not the losses, it’s not the defeats, it’s the performances. And this has been coming from day one. Liverpool got battered by Newcastle in the second half of that game, and Newcastle had 10 men. That cannot happen.

“Crystal Palace created seven big chances, which is more than any team has conceded in a game this season and Liverpool are the champions. This is not a shock, it’s been coming. And the manager needs to fix it.”

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