Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola has experienced a challenging start at Anfield. The team's disappointing 3-0 defeat against Manchester City on October 11 underscored the urgent need for the Spanish tactician to reconsider his starting XI if the Reds are to turn their fortunes around in the Premier League.
The clash against the Citizens initially seemed promising for the Merseysiders, but a contentious sending off of Ryan Gravenberch for two yellow cards allowed City to seize complete control. Goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, and Ryan Cherki led to a comprehensive victory for the visitors, leaving Liverpool languishing in ninth place in the league. In light of the team's struggles, Iraola is looking to implement significant squad changes, particularly targeting two high-profile newcomers.
Florian Wirtz
The German midfielder, who joined Liverpool last summer for a staggering £116 million, has faced intense scrutiny. This season, Wirtz has managed just one assist and no goals in seven matches.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher was vociferous in his criticism after the match against Manchester City, suggesting on Sky Sports that the midfielder should be benched. Gary Neville echoed this sentiment, highlighting the lack of tangible contributions from the player. Across 56 appearances, Wirtz has scored just seven goals and registered 11 assists, often opting for safe backward and sideways passes rather than taking risks.
With Dominik Szoboszlai nearing a return from injury, he could take up the attacking midfield position, allowing Gravenberch to revert to a more defensive role.
Jeremy Frimpong
The Dutch right-back was brought in from Bayer Leverkusen last summer as a direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, yet his performances have been lacklustre. In the match against Manchester City, Ryan Cherki exploited Frimpong's previously solid defence, easily slipping past him to score City's third.
Frimpong's meagre attacking stats—just two goals and two assists in 41 matches—fail to justify his defensive lapses. With academy graduate Conor Bradley sidelined until late November due to a knee injury, Iraola may need to consider alternatives such as Joe Gomez or Ronald Araujo, who can also play on the right flank.
