Liverpool manager defends Wirtz after Carragher criticism

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has defended midfielder Florian Wirtz after pundit Jamie Carragher publicly criticized the player's performance in the club's 1-0 Premier League victory over Bournemouth on Sunday, September 20. Carragher, a former Liverpool defender, described Wirtz's display as one of the poorest he has seen in a Liverpool shirt and urged Iraola to drop the German international for the upcoming match against Manchester City. The criticism followed Liverpool's narrow win at the Vitality Stadium, secured by an Alexander Isak goal in the 57th minute. Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £116 million in the summer of 2025, provided the assist for the goal but struggled for influence throughout the match. He has not scored a goal this season and this was his first assist in five outings. Speaking during the match and on his podcast, Carragher stated, "That was one of the poorest I've ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt." He expressed concern that Wirtz's current level of performance may represent his true ability rather than a temporary loss of form. "I don't think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool.