Jamie Carragher's Verdict on Milos Kerkez: Liverpool's Left-Back Dilemma

Jamie Carragher has delivered a blistering verdict on Liverpool left-back Milos Kerkez, branding him the “Darwin Nunez of full-backs” after a chaotic start to the season that has thrown the club’s summer planning under the spotlight.

Two games, two 2-2 draws, and a defensive line already under siege. Under Andoni Iraola, Liverpool have opened their Premier League campaign with entertaining scorelines but alarming cracks, and the spotlight has swung firmly onto the full-backs.

Carragher’s brutal comparison

Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher tore into Kerkez’s game intelligence and decision-making, arguing that the £40 million signing is relying on raw athleticism rather than any real defensive craft.

“Their understanding of the game is really, really poor. You’re watching the game and thinking, ‘Why has he done that?’” Carragher said, grouping Kerkez’s issues into a wider concern about Liverpool’s full-back play.

He then reached for a comparison guaranteed to sting.

“I described Kerkez last season – and it was his first season, maybe it was a bit harsh at the time – he’s the Darwin Nunez of full-backs. It’s just like ‘head down and run’, everything Kerkez does is 100 miles an hour.”

That image fits what Liverpool fans have seen so far: a defender constantly on the move, always aggressive, but often out of sync with the rhythm of the game. Energy without control. Pace without poise.

Carragher also questioned the logic behind persisting with Kerkez as the undisputed first choice after a mixed debut campaign.

“They’ve brought in Kerkez for £40million. He’s had his first season, it wasn’t amazing, but right, you go: ‘OK, Iraola’s come in from Bournemouth, he knows him, he’s still our left-back. Andy Robertson moved on, we had another left-back on loan, so we’re probably not going to spend another £40million on another. He’s our left-back, let him have another year’.”

The message was clear: Liverpool made their bet at left-back. Now they are living with the consequences.

Full-back gamble under fire

Kerkez is not alone in the firing line. On the opposite flank, Jeremie Frimpong has also been exposed defensively in Liverpool’s open, front-foot system. Both have been heavily criticised for their positioning and one‑v‑one defending, with pundits questioning whether the club simply chose to ignore warning signs from last season.

The results have not helped their case. Two points from matches against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest tell one story. The manner of the goals conceded tells another.

Liverpool spent big in the summer, but not where many expected. The club pushed huge sums into attacking and midfield areas, with Bradley Barcola arriving for £106m and Jeremy Jacquet for £55m, along with four other signings. The full-back positions, by contrast, were left untouched.

For Gary Neville, that decision borders on inexplicable.

Neville “stunned” by recruitment call

Neville, also speaking on The Overlap, admitted he could not understand how Liverpool had looked past such an obvious weak point.

“The two full-backs, it was quite clear at the start of last season when you watched them for five or six matches, that defensively they weren’t going to be quite at the level to do it,” he said.

“I’m stunned. We talk about ‘will Arsenal regret not bringing in a forward’ – will Liverpool regret not bringing in a couple of full-backs?”

The question cuts to the heart of Liverpool’s planning. Iraola has been backed heavily, but his bold, aggressive style demands full-backs who can defend space, read danger, and manage transitions. Right now, Kerkez and Frimpong look like high-octane attackers trapped in defensive roles that expose their flaws.

The season is only two games old. Kerkez is still young, still developing, still learning a demanding system under a new manager. But the Premier League offers little patience, and the scrutiny from former Liverpool defenders like Carragher will not ease.

Liverpool chose to trust what they had at full-back. If the chaos continues, that decision could define their season.