Danny Murphy names two Liverpool summer signings ‘not as good’ as club greats
After Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Wolves, danny murphy warned that two summer signings are “not as good” as the club’s recent greats. The comments landed amid a match that saw Rodrigo Gomes give Wolves the lead, Mohamed Salah draw Liverpool level with seven minutes remaining, and a stoppage-time deflected winner from Andre seal the win. The result has intensified debate over the quality of the summer arrivals and the security of senior positions in the squad.
Danny Murphy and Michael Owen: immediate reactions
Danny Murphy, former Liverpool midfielder, said the new arrivals have yet to match the standards set by players who previously occupied key roles. “The new signings apart from Ekitike, I know Wirtz is out injured and he’s had a pick-up, but full back areas, problem. Frimpong is not as good as Trent. Kirkez can’t do what Robertson can do, ” he said, framing the defeat as part of a wider inconsistency across games.
Michael Owen, former England striker and pundit, also singled out Milos Kerkez for sharp criticism. “I can’t warm to Kerkez, I’m afraid. He looks like a bag of nerves, he looks like he doesn’t want the ball, he looks like he’s an emotional defender. He’s playing like this [shaking] all the time, it’s like, ‘calm down, man’, you’re in possession of the ball a lot of the time, just relax, it’s like he’s in a trance constantly. I liked Kerkez at Bournemouth, but Liverpool is a different kettle of fish. You’ve got to be able to manage pressure, all the eyes are on you, and it just looks like the club is a bit too big for him at the moment. ” Owen urged a return to more experienced selection at full-back, naming Andy Robertson as a player who should be considered for a regular slot again.
Match fallout and squad concerns
The loss at Molineux left Liverpool trailing late and exposed on the counter; Rodrigo Gomes opened the scoring, Mohamed Salah levelled with seven minutes remaining, and Andre’s stoppage-time deflection delivered all three points to Wolves. The manner of defeat has prompted focused criticism of the summer transfers, particularly in full-back positions that previously delivered sustained output from their incumbents. Observers noted that injuries and form dips elsewhere in the squad have compounded pressure on new signings to settle quickly.
Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, described the result as a setback and warned expectations have shifted over the season. “My expectations have changed throughout the season because I expected more from us than where we are fighting for now. But it’s another setback and we didn’t help ourselves with this result, not at all. But there are still eight [Premier League] games to play so we are coming closer and closer to the end, ” he said, stressing the narrow margin for error as the campaign reaches its final stretch.
What’s next
With the defeat sharpening scrutiny on selection and recruitment, danny murphy’s comments are likely to increase pressure on the manager to reassess the balance between experienced and new players. Liverpool now sit in a position that risks eroding Champions League qualification hopes if rivals pick up expected points, and attention will quickly turn to how the manager adjusts his full-back choices and overall tactics in the remaining fixtures. Expect renewed calls for composure from those under the spotlight and for decisions that prioritise experience while the summer signings continue to settle.
