Liverpool are set for a demanding run of four successive home matches across three competitions at Anfield over the next 12 days, but their home form in the Premier League this season has been a cause for concern. The Reds have drawn against Nottingham Forest and Fulham and lost heavily to Manchester City at Anfield, while their away form has been notably stronger, with three wins and one draw on the road, including a comeback victory at previously-unbeaten Brentford on Saturday.
Home Struggles Contrast with Away Success
The fixture list presents a significant challenge for manager Andoni Iraola, with Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday night, followed by Brighton in the Premier League, Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, and Arsenal in the league. This run comes after two consecutive away wins, highlighting the stark contrast between their performances at home and on the road.
The issue is clear to identify but harder to resolve, partly due to the players at Iraola's disposal. Liverpool have three players who cost over £100 million, and two of them are more comfortable playing away from home on the counter-attack.
Wirtz and Barcola's Away Impact
Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola both made an impact at Brentford, providing assists for goals from Victor Munoz and Alexander Isak. Barcola had previously scored a hat-trick in the 6-3 win over LASK in Austria in midweek. Now they must prove they can break Liverpool's home hoodoo, which is the most pressing task for Iraola.
Wirtz's performance in west London was notable, as he created nine chances against Brentford, the most by any player in a Premier League game this season. He has now created 20 chances this season, more than any other player in the league, one ahead of Brighton's Pascal Gross on 19. Despite debate around his form and just two assists from 0.8 expected assists, Wirtz leads his teammates in creativity, with Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai on 11 chances created each.
Gerrard and Carragher Weigh In
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has backed Wirtz, who has seven goals and 13 assists in 58 games for the club, to come good. "I would be thinking, if you're on the Liverpool staff or you're a Liverpool senior player, this kid is a talent," he said on the Overlap Daily. "Don't give up on him. This is not just Florian Wirtz. I'm talking about any young kid who has a dip in form or who is finding it hard to cope with a price tag. Let's work with him. Let's try and help him, let's support him. Let's get him in a better place, and that's when I think you will see the consistency."
He added: "The easy thing is to try and kill him and try to move him on and just wish him well. Oh, 'How are we going to sell him or who's going to buy him?' When you just need to stop and think: 'How can you fix it?' If you're the manager of Liverpool, you need Wirtz to be shining. You need him playing well consistently, contributing goals and assists. That's what the fans want."
Jamie Carragher hinted at the reason for Barcola's struggles in an analysis on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. "Barcola is a transition monster, that's when he's going to be at his best, when he's got space in front of him. He's arguably the quickest player in the Premier League," he said. "Maybe at Anfield he's going to find it a bit tougher when teams play a low block and there's not much space. He's going to have to improve his finishing if he is to justify his fee."
Liverpool won't often be handed the luxury of transitions against away sides at Anfield. Barcola's pace and Wirtz's passing were useful against Brentford, who ended the match with nine men, but they will have to show other qualities in the next 12 days. It is up to Iraola to build a system that gets the best out of his expensive players.
