Liverpool's £435m attack leaves Wirtz and Barcola in creative doldrums

Under the floodlights at Anfield, the Reds' attack shuffled past a tired Manchester City defence, yet the ball rarely found a clear opening. Despite having poured £435 million into their forward line over the past two summers, Liverpool saw Florian Wirtz struggle and Bradley Barcola appear oddly tepid, underscoring a stark creative drought.

Spending spree yields few chances

The Reds have managed just five big chances in six Premier League matches, a tally eclipsed only by Coventry City, who have played one game fewer. Last season under Arne Slot, Liverpool ranked fourth for big chances, only four behind champions Arsenal. This term, even with three £100 million‑plus forwards, the output has plummeted.

Injuries and under‑performers hurt creativity

Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, who together have created eleven chances this campaign, missed the City defeat after picking up injuries on international duty. Szoboszlai alone had carved out three of the five big chances, while Gakpo supplied two. Their absence forced Andoni Iraola to rely on a substitute described as ‘all over the place’ for the lone remaining chance.

Florian Wirtz, who has produced eleven chances and three assists from an expected‑assists value of 6.85, still failed to generate a big chance against City. Bradley Barcola, the summer’s £100 million signing, ranks sixth in Liverpool’s chance‑creation chart but has yet to register a single big chance. Former defender Jamie Carragher has urged Iraola to drop the German in favour of Ryan Gravenberch.

Florian Wirtz's record price worries the Reds in the Premier League

Liverpool’s start to the Premier League campaign has been uneven, with only two wins from six games and a defeat to Manchester City leaving them ninth, level on points with newly‑promoted Ipswich. The lack of potency and creativity has become a central concern for Andoni Iraola as he settles at Anfield.

Manchester City have amassed the highest number of big chances in the league, three times Liverpool’s total, while Man United sit on double the Reds’ figure. The disparity highlights how Liverpool’s £435 million investment has not translated into the expected creative output.

Jamie Carragher urges Liverpool to bench Wirtz after Man City loss

If the Reds cannot convert their financial muscle into tangible chances, the gap with the league’s elite may widen, putting Andoni Iraola’s early tenure under increasing scrutiny.