Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has delivered a harsh assessment of the club’s current form after the Reds suffered a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash.
On a hostile night in Istanbul, Mario Lemina’s early header from a poorly defended corner proved decisive as Galatasaray secured a narrow advantage ahead of next week’s return leg at Anfield.
The Turkish side had also beaten Liverpool by the same scoreline earlier in the season during the competition’s league phase.
Although Liverpool created chances in an open contest and could have levelled the tie, Carragher believes the performance exposed deeper concerns for manager Arne Slot.
“It was a really good game, an end-to-end game, but it was a bad game for Liverpool,” Carragher said during CBS’ Champions League coverage. “It was a bad result and Liverpool were really poor in the second half.
“I don’t think Galatasaray are a great team. It’s a team Liverpool should beat. I still think Liverpool will go through but what we saw in Istanbul is a worry for the manager and the team.”
Carragher suggested the performance reflected a pattern that has persisted throughout the campaign, arguing that Liverpool have fallen well short of the standards expected after significant investment in the squad.
“What we saw at Galatasaray is what we saw at Galatasaray early on the league phase. This team is just a million miles off where it was supposed to be this season, which was that we’d be talking about them in the same light as we speak about Bayern Munich right now.
“That was the point in Liverpool spending over £400m in the summer, to go to the next step from winning the Premier League to go on and win the Champions League.”
Despite the setback, Carragher still expects Liverpool to overturn the deficit at Anfield.
However, he admitted he has little confidence the team could progress much further in Europe, especially if they face Paris Saint-Germain in the next round.
“We’re talking about a team who have to overcome a deficit against Galatasaray, and I think they will, but I don’t have any hope that Liverpool will go any further than that, if it is PSG in the next round.”
The former England international also highlighted ongoing tactical concerns, suggesting the Anfield heavyweights have struggled to control matches throughout the season.
“It’s not just the defeat, the performances are a big worry for the manager. I’ve said before he’s got to change something but he’s tried everything really, but nothing seems to work.
“At no stage this season have I felt Liverpool are in control of a football match. It’s either an end-to-end basketball match, which he wanted to stop. But then it becomes slow, boring and predictable.”
Carragher added that the issues extend beyond the manager, pointing to structural weaknesses within the squad.
“Do I think a new manager could change it? I don’t think it dramatically changes. The make up of the squad, how it has been put together and the lack of options in certain areas is a big problem as well.
“It’s not all about the manager but as we know, managers carry the can.”
He also acknowledged that the presence of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso on the managerial market could increase scrutiny on Slot, particularly given Alonso’s popularity among supporters and his impressive work with Bayer Leverkusen.
“I think that’s fair because of his history at Liverpool and also, he did such a remarkable job at Bayer Leverkusen.
“He’s had a good managerial career so far. We know Real Madrid didn’t go well and he’ll be better for that experience, but him being on the market does intensify the pressure, maybe not from the club but maybe the supporters because they have a love affair with Alonso because of 2005.”
Liverpool now turn their attention to the decisive second leg at Anfield, where they must overturn the deficit if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
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