Jamie Carragher has accused Daniel Sturridge of making excuses for Liverpool star Florian Wirtz during a heated exchange following the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. The German international endured another tough Premier League outing as the 10-man Reds slumped to their first defeat of the season.
Wirtz struggles in big-game test
After positive displays for Germany during the international break, there was hope that the £116million playmaker would bear fruit on Sunday, in the absence of key talismen Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo. However, he struggled as Liverpool's big-money arrivals struggled while Victor Munoz and Lewis Koumas impressed.
Carragher has been critical of Wirtz already this season, notably after the win at Bournemouth where the former Reds defender faced backlash for his comments. The 48-year-old doubled down in the wake of a 30-minute period, brushing Liverpool aside against Enzo Maresca's side but while the ex-stopper scolded the attacking midfielder, Sturridge defended his display.
Full transcript of the Sky Sports debate
The two Anfield teammates were at odds over the former Bayer Leverkusen star. Here is the full transcript from the passage on Sky Sports.
Carragher (JC) said: "We have seen the goals and assists for Bayer Leverkusen. He looks really small and he is small on the football pitch.
"Does it ever feel like he is going to hit one from outside the box and when he was taking set-pieces today it almost looks like he hasn’t got the strength to put it into the middle or the back post. Do you understand what I mean?"
Sturridge (DS) said: "I think he is a half-space player. I don’t think he is a natural No.10, back to goal, finding spaces. At Leverkusen he played half 10. It was 10 and a half.
"You are playing left wing but you are not a left-winger, you are an inside forward."
JC said: "Sorry to interrupt but are we saying Florian Wirtz can only play in a three at the back system?"
DS said: "What I am saying is that I don’t think he is a natural No.10. That is what I am saying. I don’t think you are saying he is that pivotal guy at the top of the three in midfield, I personally don’t feel that is his best position. I think his best position is in the half space on the left wing.
"Unfortunately Liverpool have spent a lot of money on Barcola. I said at the start of the season that Liverpool needed a right winger because I think that is a necessity right now. We have got Rio on the left and I love his style. His growth is important for Liverpool Football Club and he is one of the best English players out there.
"We need to see progression and I don’t want to see him go out on loan. I want to see him get opportunities in the first team. Gakpo has been a good player for Liverpool over the course of the season, you have Wirtz who you know can play this role, is he going to provide the numbers consistently? Is he going to jump off the screen all the time? He is one of those guys, the No.10 position for me is such a difficult position to play and I have played that position.
"I believe it is hard because you have to influence the game. Players play more in between the lines where you can turn, right now he is impacting the game in areas that I don’t think he is best in. I understand what you are saying, Carra, you just don’t think he is good enough for Liverpool."
JC said: "I think you are making really big excuses for a player there and I understand what you are saying. The role he played at Bayer Leverkusen it was three at the back, wingback on the outside and he played inside left, I totally get that, but he can still find that position in the No.10.
"And when you think where he picks the ball up, he never picks it up in the middle of the pitch. It is always an angle and if you are a midfield player you are always looking for angles."
DS said: "I disagree and I have to say this, it is different coming from the wing, picking the ball up and timing yours correctly and getting the ball on a half turn than getting it as a No.10.
"You can’t tell me otherwise it is a different role. I am not making excuses or saying Wirtz has hit the ground running and he is top and this and that. I am not saying that, I am saying we are judging a player in a position that may not be his best position.
"Are we ever going to see the best out of him at Liverpool? Maybe not, but all I am saying is we are judging him harshly based on what we see and I agree with you he’s not been good enough for what we spent."
JC said: "We are definitely not judging him harshly, I think we need to make that point, but what I am going to say is, I felt going forward because you can’t just throw away a £100m player. I thought going forward the next step would be to put him on the left. He plays there for Germany.
"I think if you go to the summer he plays left in a 4-4-2 for Germany. I thought that was the last chance saloon. Can you get him in a pocket? Can you get a full-back going on the outside of him. I totally get that but the manager Liverpool employed is a wingers man.
"He just wants wingers so he will never have that guy in that position. And it was all about Florian Wirtz is there and you are thinking can he get on the ball and can he be feeding wide players and a No.9.
"Now the position you are talking about is you see where Morgan Rogers is playing now. That is what you are talking about isn’t it? In my head in the summer I was thinking would Xabi Alonso become the manager? The reason being is that nobody knows Florian Wirtz better than Xabi Alonso.
"Okay the club decides to go a different way, but that was one of my thoughts. Alonso could come in and unlock Wirtz, your big money signing.
"I understand what you are saying there that left pocket, but to let someone completely off the hook who doesn't score a goal or create chances, doesn't do anything because we are asking him to play 10-yards further inside, at times he will find himself in that left pocked and he has got to do an awful lot more."
