Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has thrown his weight behind Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola amid criticism of their performances, insisting he has complete faith in the attacking pair ahead of the Champions League clash against LASK.
The duo, who cost a combined £239m, are yet to score this season and have come under scrutiny following their displays against Manchester City.
Their performances in the domestic encounter drew criticism from supporters and pundits, increasing the pressure on the high-profile signings to deliver as Liverpool prepare to face Austrian champions LASK in Linz.
However, Iraola has defended both players, arguing that their contributions should not be judged solely by their goal and assist statistics.
Speaking to the media in Austria, the Liverpool boss said Wirtz and Barcola had experienced both good and bad games, like other players, but remained capable of delivering strong performances.
“With Bradley and Flo, they have had good games and bad games this season like everyone else,” Iraola explained. “We know their level and we know they will give us good performances. The possibilities are the same. The other day, if Lewis Koumas scores the shot that he connects with really well, then it is one assist for Bradley.
“His performance is exactly the same but we will all say, ‘Oof, he played really well with an assist’. Sometimes we focus only on the numbers. With Bradley, the other day, he had good situations and we did not finish them. Bradley and Flo are players that I trust 100 per cent.”
Iraola’s backing contrasts with the opinion of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, who called for Wirtz to be dropped after criticising the German’s lack of attacking threat.
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Speaking on Sky Sports, the former defender pointed to the difference in Liverpool experience between Wirtz and Barcola, noting that the latter had featured in only a handful of matches.
Carragher argued that Wirtz, despite making nearly 60 appearances for Liverpool, had not shown enough cutting edge.
“Wirtz shouldn’t be in the Liverpool team right now,” the pundit argued. “Wirtz never looks like scoring a goal. You don’t come away thinking he missed chances or he worked the goalkeeper. There’s absolutely no goal threat whatsoever.”
Carragher also suggested that youngsters Lewis Koumas and Victor Munoz were currently outperforming Liverpool’s expensive signings, raising further questions over Iraola’s selection ahead of the Champions League fixture.
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