Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola has been under fire for some of his early performances at the club, though a former Manchester United star has unexpectedly jumped to his defence
Bradley Barcola of Liverpook looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4 match between Fenerbahce SK and Liverpool FC
Bradley Barcola has come under fire for his display against Fenerbahce(Image: (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images))
Manchester United hero Mikael Silvestre has jumped to the defence of Bradley Barcola at Liverpool, suggesting that the star will eventually find some form in front of goal.
It follows a mixed start to life on Merseyside for the winger since his move from PSG in the summer, which cost the Reds a huge sum upwards of $160 million. With such a large investment comes an expectation that it will be returned in the form of goals and assists, but they have yet to flow.
There have been some promising signs, with the Frenchman injecting some more pace into the frontline, but other than a hat-trick against LASK in the Champions League, the clinical edge in front of goal is yet to show. With Barcola taking up an unusual centre-forward role against Fenerbahce in midweek, the forward has come under fire for his inability to create the sort of threat up front that the team needs.
Jamie Carragher gave a damning verdict when he singled out the summer recruit as an example of Liverpool not using its funds wisely in the squad-building process, pointing to Rio Ngumoha as an example of it going right for the club instead.
For Silvestre, however, it's clear that it is still early days, and the former Manchester United title winner believes that the goals will come for Barcola in due course.
Speaking to PariuriX, he said: "Barcola has done well to adapt so quickly in the Premier League with a new culture and new language. It’s not that easy, and I am sure he is working on his end product, which is very important for an attacking player and he knows that.
Istanbul, Türkiye - November 4: Bradley Barcola of Liverpool FC looks dejected during the UEFA Champions League 2026/2027 match between Fenerbahçe and Liverpool at Fenerbahçe Sükrü Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi on November 4, 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Photo by Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Bradley Barcola looks dejected during the Champions League match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool (Image: Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
“It is just taking a bit of time for him to have the efficiency in front of the goal, but the most important thing is to get into the dangerous situations, and he is really doing that, both for himself but also creating chances for his teammates.”
Barcola will certainly be hoping that he can get up and running sooner rather than later, having seen last summer's big signings take a while to settle in and start performing.
"No, I don't think I'm at my best yet," Barcola recently admitted in an interview with Sky Sports about his start at Liverpool. "You still haven't seen the best version of me.
"On top of that, we're working with my teammates so that they can make the most of my strengths. So yes, I think once we really develop that understanding, things will get much better. And I think things are improving all the time. People are beginning to understand my style of play much better. I think it's going much better."
The move to the striker role against Fenerbahce was certainly an experiment, one that Iraola may not attempt again any time soon, based on Wednesday's showing. However, back in his regular position out wide, there may be some signs that he can build some momentum and begin deciding matches for the team.
It remains to be seen how Barcola will do at Liverpool in the long-term, with time clearly still needed before a true judgement can be drawn on his time at the club.