Jamie Carragher has singled out what he believes to be Liverpool’s fatal flaw after a blockbuster summer spend in the wake of their Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace.
The Premier League champions went toe-to-toe with the FA Cup winners at Wembley on Sunday afternoon and started a new-look XI furnished with Arne Slot’s standout signings including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Jeremie Frimpong.
It didn’t take long for former Eintracht Frankfurt star Ekitike to announce himself to the Premier League with a lightning-quick goal inside the five-minute mark.
After Palace levelled proceedings from the spot, Frimpong re-established Liverpool’s lead 15 minutes later with his freakish, sharply angled strike, scored poignantly as the Reds faithful were applauding their late star Diogo Jota at 20 minutes in tribute to his now-retired shirt number.
But despite impressing before the break, Liverpool were unable to wrestle control entirely from the south London club, and after Ismaila Sarr dragged Palace level yet again, the Reds were eventually toppled by the ensuing penalty shoot-out.
But while Slot might have been comforted that his side did not have to contend with the so-called Community Shield curse as they look to win back-to-back league titles this season, Reds legend Carragher aired one concern about the squad’s set-up on social media after the final whistle.
Liverpool were defeated on penalties in the Community Shield last Sunday at Wembley
Arne Slot had a chance to start new signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong (left) in his XI
But after clawing back two equalisers, FA Cup winners Crystal Palace got the better of the Reds
‘LFC looking great going forward but susceptible defensively, as we’ve seen all pre season,’ Carragher posted on X.
‘A lot of the goals conceded by LFC have come from going man to man really aggressively and leaving space in behind.
‘Today (Milos) Kerkez is getting dragged inside with Sarr leaving Gakpo chasing (wing back).’
Former Bournemouth left back Kerkez joined Liverpool in late June to the tune of £40m, but Liverpool remain somewhat short in defence going into the start of the season.
Academy star Jarrell Quansah left his boyhood side for a permanent move to Bayer Leverkusen, and defensive stalwart Joe Gomez has been struggling with injury.
But Liverpool stars came face-to-face with a potential new team-mate on the pitch in north London, with Daily Mail Sport reporting on Saturday night that the club were keen to hold further talks over the future of Palace star Marc Guehi.
The Palace defender lifted the Community Shield as the first match in the final season of his contract, and after fending off interest for the England international last summer, chairman Steve Parish admitted that the club might be forced to part ways with the £45m-rated star.
‘Yes, (Palace would sell Guehi if the price was right). Of course, for players of that calibre to leave on a free, it is a problem for a football club,’ Parish said. ‘There is no doubt about it unfortunately.
Jamie Carragher was critical of Slot’s defensively plan after watching the summer friendlies
The former Reds star singled out new signing Milos Kerkez as particularly vulnerable in London
‘Joachim (Andersen) went and we couldn’t afford to lose both of them. We then had another bid in January but that was a difficult situation as well. We will just have to see what happens. It needs a new contract or a conclusion of some kind.
‘In the end, people trade players, That is what football clubs do. Of course, if you don’t care about tomorrow ever and put it all off, then we are a fantastic team.
‘If we had four more players, I don’t know what we could achieve. Unfortunately it is not always as simple as that.
‘We will have to see. We will do whatever we can. We won’t stop working. But as far as people being here or not being here, it depends.
‘If it is the right decision for the football club and for them, there will be changes. But we have got to make smart ones.’
Liverpool are believed to consider Palace’s asking price for the star as too high and will seek to negotiate, or else chase down one of their other defensive targets.
Daily Mail Sport reported last month that the Reds are keeping tabs on Parma’s teenage star Giovanni Leoni, with Slot looking to find a young successor to influential captain Virgil van Dijk.
Slot could now look to re-enter the transfer window after a blockbuster £250m spend so far
Liverpool are believed to be set to re-open talks with Palace over the future of Marc Guehi
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Liverpool MUST make another big signing despite promising start from Hugo Ekitike
Carragher has previously been critical of Liverpool’s statement-making window, sharing last week that he believes it has the feel of one that ‘doesn’t look planned’ – in particular their ongoing interest in Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.
”In terms of what Liverpool have done in the summer by bringing in players, they’ve spent a lot of money and it doesn’t feel like the Liverpool way of doing things so much – or certainly if you listen to some supporters who have been on the owner’s case for so long!’ Carragher said on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet.
‘For me, when I think of Liverpool, it doesn’t look really planned – I don’t think the plan is to buy a striker for £80 million (in Ekitike), and then be looking to buy another one for £120 million (in Isak).’