Jamie Carragher pinpoints the glaring issue that Liverpool have persistently faced since the departure of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. The Liverpool legend earmarked all the problems that the attacking department has, something that cost them dearly last season too.
Liverpool recently lost the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle United and suffered an elimination from the Champions League before that. Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle used Liverpool’s weakness to their advantage by beating them with superior physicality in duels and pace.
However, the biggest disadvantage that the Reds faced came from their attacking outlet as the opponents marked Mohamed Salah closely. With their best attacking forward out of the picture, Liverpool struggled to come out of their half with any conviction.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino bailed Mohamed Salah out whenever he struggled in any game.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino bailed Mohamed Salah out whenever he struggled in any game.
The lack of outlet played a problem in the first-leg game against PSG despite the Reds’ victory in that game. Both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have started regularly alongside Salah as Cody Gakpo has struggled with fitness. Meanwhile, Darwin Nunez has continuously faced criticism for failing to convert easy chances and usurping Jota as the number nine.
During Sky Sports’ post-match coverage of the Carabao Cup final, Carragher stated that Liverpool lacked a Mane or a Firmino to bail them out when Salah struggled to make an impact during the match. He said:
“I think what this last week has done is probably shone a light on where Liverpool still need to improve. I think the lack of pace in the team is glaring in the attack. I almost feel a little bit sorry for Mo Salah, because he’s taken a little bit of criticism after the two Paris Saint-Germain games. He was up against possibly the best left-back in the world in [Nuno] Mendes who was fantastic. He didn’t do too much – he wasn’t great today [either]. But he doesn’t get help from the other attackers. This is not like it was under Jurgen Klopp when Mane could bail them out or Firmino. The other attackers Liverpool have got are good players, they’re not great players, and they’ve relied on him so much.”
Carragher has made many valid points as the lack of outlet was evident in recent weeks. Furthermore, the problem is recurring as the same thing happened during the latter stages of the last season for Liverpool.
While Liverpool have a good attack with every player bringing something different to the team, the standards have drastically dropped. Only Gakpo performed consistently for Liverpool since the end of the last season until he got sidelined with an injury.
Diogo Jota
Liverpool have struggled against the top clubs whether they deployed Jota as the number nine, which is Arne Slot’s preference. The 28-year-old struggles with hold-up play and creates interplays with his teammates in the middle phases of the game.
Jota’s game is only limited to the final third and around the opposition’s box where he uses his clever feet. Furthermore, the Portuguese international has incredible technique and composure, making him the best finisher in the squad after Salah.
However, his dry patch in front of the goal has opened him to more scrutiny as those limitations get exposed. Since January 15, Jota has played in 10 games in all competitions without scoring a single goal, providing one assist.
The Portuguese lost many duels against Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain while also failing to exploit spaces. Jota’s performance against PSG in the away victory frustrated the fans despite his positive relationship with them.
The 28-year-old had plenty of chances to exploit the spaces behind the high line of PSG and ease the pressure they were exerting. However, he failed every time due to the lack of pace and poor reaction time to beat the first challenge.
Nevertheless, Jota’s limitations and his poor injury record leave Liverpool vulnerable for many periods in a season. The 28-year-old suits a team that can bypass his limitations, allowing him to work only on the final phases of the attack.
Luis Diaz
Similarly to Jota, Diaz has struggled with inconsistency and lack of output since the start of 2025. The 28-year-old has one goal and two assists from 18 games in all competitions since the start of this year.
Diaz also lacks pace and makes unforced errors in the middle phases while showboating his trickeries at the wrong places. One example is the Colombian’s no-look pass during the second half of the game against PSG at Anfield.
With Liverpool chasing the game, the Colombian opted to play the ball in the middle with a no-look pass. PSG players easily intercepted that play and started the counter-attack, easing their pressure while building the pressure on Liverpool.
Diaz has made similar errors in the Liverpool half many times, playing the ball inwards without looking. The Colombian international has all the skills and quality to influence the game in the final third but his inconsistency remains an issue.
Darwin Nunez
Slot has preferred Diaz as a false nine over Nunez which sums up the issues that the Uruguayan has faced. While Nunez has received unconditional backing from the fanbase, his problem with finishing persists after three seasons at the club.
Liverpool need more reliability in attack and while Nunez provides a better hold-up play and outlet than Diaz and Jota, his poor composure has proven too costly. It is mutually beneficial for both Liverpool and the player to part ways in the coming summer.
The profile required
The games against PSG and Newcastle have shown that Liverpool lacks the combination of pace and productivity. The Reds have overly relied on Salah throughout this season and as Carragher said, the Egyptian don’t deserve any criticism for his recent struggles.
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A club of Liverpool’s stature need players who perform at a high level for a whole season and not just 75% of the seasons. Furthermore, The Reds need the attackers to have pace, strength and constant awareness of the tactical demands of their boss. Liverpool have not replaced Mane and Firmino properly as Carragher has mentioned and that problem needs rectification next summer.