Jamie Carragher admits Liverpool miss Trent Alexander-Arnold amid £116m 'replacement' Florian Wirtz's struggles

Slot’s side did open the 2025-26 season in faultless fashion, with a flurry of late goals allowing priceless points to be picked up at home and abroad. Liverpool were not entirely convincing, though, and they have now suffered back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray in domestic and Champions League competition.

Dutch coach Slot has taken to getting creative with his selections at times, delivering a mixed bag of results and performances, with the Reds still ironing out flaws in a new-look side. German playmaker Wirtz, who cost £116 million ($156m), is waiting on his first goal contribution - with the talented 22-year-old yet to deliver on lofty expectations. He is being charged with the task of picking holes in opposition defences and making Liverpool more fluid when operating on the front foot.

Carragher believes Alexander-Arnold is proving to be a big miss in that process, with the Merseyside native having stepped out of his comfort zone when running his contract down and linking up with Real Madrid. Reds legend Carragher wrote in his column for The Telegraph: "It sounds odd to say it, but Wirtz was signed to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold – a No 10 to provide the passing range and creativity of a unique full-back. He is yet to add what Liverpool are missing without Alexander-Arnold, while at the same time the team has lost the intensity which made them so difficult to play against. It means Slot has a dilemma as he tries to defend the title going through a transitional phase that might take longer than many thought. He must decide whether to regroup and temporarily revert to the strategy of last season, accommodating Wirtz in a different role or leaving him out entirely until he is up to speed with English football.

"Or he might persist with his vision believing more short-term pain might be necessary until it clicks. The latter would be dangerous because even with all the credit in the bank from his title win, there is immense pressure to keep winning, especially when you have spent a combined £230m on two players who are supposed to be ready-made to take a championship-winning side to the next level. Slot excelled by moulding Klopp’s signings into a better team. Now he has to repeat the trick with his own recruits."

Carragher is not overly concerned about Liverpool’s recent wobble, with it important for them to come through some testing times in order to prove their worth as defending champions. He went on to say: "Part of me is worried by how Liverpool have played so far. Another part of me is excited and reassured. It is exciting because I am looking forward to seeing how Slot goes about making the necessary adjustments and improvements. It is reassuring because creating and maintaining a winning team has to require much more than signing huge cheques, otherwise the chasing pack might as well give up. You need to build connections, and dedicate hours on the training pitch to ensure everyone knows what is demanded with and without the ball so the balance is right.

"Liverpool spent nearly £450m on new players over the summer, regardless of how much they recouped via sales. For the greater good of English football, it would have been disheartening had that level of investment led to instant brilliance. Just like Chelsea have discovered after spending £1.5bn over the past three years, there should be no shortcuts to success."

Liverpool, who have seen their lead at the top of the Premier League table cut to two points by Arsenal, will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Chelsea. That contest will take them into the next international break, with the likes of Wirtz and Isak preparing to head off with their respective countries.