Jamie Carragher hits out at £125m Liverpool call that leaves ‘best signing’ on the bench

Jamie Carragher insists Hugo Ekitike has been Liverpool’s best summer signing, but the dynamic with Alexander Isak is leaving him on the bench with the Reds struggling to get their attack firing

Jamie Carragher has doubled down on the fact he “wasn’t big on Alexander Isak coming in” because it leaves Hugo Ekitike – their “best signing” – on the bench.

Liverpool were resigned to a fourth successive defeat on Sunday as Manchester United landed a stunning victory at Anfield. It further deepened the issues on Merseyside with the defending champions in turmoil despite spending over £400million in the summer.

The biggest sum, a British-record fee, went on landing Isak from Newcastle for £125m. He came into a champion outfit that had already got Ekitike on board from Frankfurt. The Frenchman cost £79m and enjoyed a blistering start as he scored in his first three outings for the Reds.

However the arrival of Isak has seen him ultimately slip down the pecking order and he’s began on the bench for the past two matches. Carragher insists that situation does not suit the team and is still racking his brain as to how Arne Slot finds a winning formula from his squad.

He said on Sky Sports: “Every Liverpool supporter has been having sleepless nights trying to work out what system they should play and players they should use. Liverpool’s business didn’t feel Liverpool-like, it felt Real Madrid-like in terms of buying the most expensive players.

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“Ekitike has been Liverpool’s best signing, on the bench. And Wirtz, on the bench. When you spend that type of money, the people who spent it want to see them on the pitch. I was one of the few who wasn’t big on Isak coming in. It is not good for Isak having Ekitike on the bench – he knows if he doesn’t do something in the first 60 minutes then he could be off.”

Ekitike leads the goalscoring charts, notching five times in all competitions. Isak meanwhile has only scored once, that coming against Southampton in the Carabao Cup. His form in front of goal has been criticised but Carragher insists they have to play alongside each other.

“I think Slot has to find a way of getting both of them on the pitch,” he said. “I am trying to wrack my brain. At some stage he has to try and make that work. It was a Real Madrid summer – I think he now has to be a Madrid manager.”

Carragher has previously referenced how Carlo Ancelotti, during his time at the Bernabeu, would welcome new signings that didn’t necessarily suit his system, before coming up with ways to get all his best players on his pitch.

Slot endured a summer of change but retained Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo before adding Ekitike, Isak and the German playmaker Florian Wirtz with pressure on the head coach to get them firing in the final third.

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