Danny Murphy has pinpointed a different weakness at Liverpool than the struggling expensive signings. The former England midfielder, who spent five years at Anfield and won the UEFA Cup there, rejected criticism of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak following their combined €270 million arrival in summer 2025. Instead, Murphy identified the club's full-back pairing as the real problem holding back Andoni Iraola's side.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Murphy argued that the defensive deficiencies of Milos Kerkez (22) and Jeremie Frimpong (25) extend far beyond their pressing contributions. While acknowledging both players work hard and travel at pace, Murphy criticized their creative output severely. "The bigger problem at Liverpool is that the full-backs are not good enough," he stated. "They work hard, but the level of their crossing and their decision-making in the final third are weak." Murphy highlighted the stark drop-off compared to Liverpool's departed full-back legends Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who now play for Tottenham and Real Madrid respectively.
The Creative Void on the Flanks
Murphy emphasized that elite teams rely on exceptional full-backs to exploit space when opponents compress the centre. The current Liverpool pair struggle to break down defences despite receiving frequent possession on the wings. "The best teams in the world have excellent full-backs because opponents close down the centre and then space opens up on the flanks," Murphy explained. Frimpong's form proves particularly concerning given his productivity at Bayer Leverkusen, where he registered 77 goal contributions in 190 Bundesliga matches. Since his €40 million transfer to Merseyside, the Dutch international has managed just two goals and two assists in 37 appearances.
Kerkez's statistics paint a similarly disappointing picture. The Hungarian fullback, signed for €47 million from Bournemouth, has contributed two goals and two assists across 51 Liverpool matches. Murphy is far from alone in his assessment. Jamie Carragher recently criticized Kerkez's inconsistent performances, while former striker Gabriel Agbonjahor suggested repositioning Kerkez to the right flank. Former manager Arne Slot had already experimented with this tactical adjustment last season.
As Liverpool navigate the 2025-26 campaign under new leadership, the attacking output from their flanks will prove decisive in determining whether this expensive overhaul delivers the trophy success Iraola demands.
