Paul Merson’s most recent column for Sky Sports reveals a growing unease about Liverpool’s trajectory this campaign, while also casting doubt on the club’s marquee signings, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola. The Reds have now endured three draws in their opening quartet of Premier League fixtures, the latest being a goalless stalemate against Fulham at Anfield that left them perched in seventh place. Their upcoming schedule includes a Carabao Cup clash with a struggling Tottenham side on Tuesday, followed by a Premier League encounter with Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth, both matches slated for live broadcast on Sky Sports ahead of the international break. Adam Bate of Sky Sports summed up the Fulham result as "unbeaten but unsatisfied," a phrase that captures the underwhelming tone of Liverpool’s early season performances.
Merson echoed this sentiment, adding that the manager may be finding the step up from Bournemouth to Anfield more challenging than anticipated. While he offered no disrespect to the Cherries, Merson pointed out that a 0‑0 draw at home for Bournemouth would hardly make headlines, whereas the same scoreline for Liverpool instantly becomes front‑page news.
He suggested that Jurgen Klopp needs to loosen the tactical restraints that have been placed on his side and allow a more fluid, attacking brand of football. The former England midfielder also highlighted the widening gulf between the league’s elite and the rest of the pack. "Every weekend you watch Manchester City and Arsenal pulling away by huge margins – it’s astonishing how big that gap has become," Merson observed.
In that context, he questioned how long Liverpool can afford to wait for Florian Wirtz to adapt. "I’m a big fan of Wirtz – he’s a special talent – but it isn’t working at the moment. The club can’t sit on his development forever," he warned.
The same skepticism was directed at Barcola, whose pace Merson acknowledged but deemed insufficient for Liverpool’s needs. "You don’t need the fastest man in the Premier League at Liverpool, you need a player with a bit more guile," he argued, citing Mohamed Salah as the benchmark for clever, decisive attacking play. Merson stressed that Liverpool’s current problem is not a lack of speed but a shortage of creativity and confidence.
He recalled a brief period in the early stages of the Everton match where Liverpool looked outstanding, moving the ball well and creating chances, only to fail to find the net. "When you don’t score, the mindset shifts back to doubt," he explained.
According to Merson, the team must learn to score early to build belief, and confidence – the intangible quality that can make or break any footballer, regardless of age or experience – is sorely missing at Anfield. Turning his attention to the rest of the league, Merson expressed optimism about Arsenal’s dominance. He noted that Arsenal’s schedule includes away fixtures against Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, yet he doubts any of those clubs will be able to topple the Gunners.
"They are a hard, hard team to beat and I don’t see them losing many matches this season," he said, adding that the pressure of being labeled a "bottling" team appears to have lifted from Arsenal’s shoulders. Their recent performances against Villa and Sunderland, he observed, have been calm and patient, eventually yielding goals while the opposition remains shut out.
Regarding Liverpool’s squad depth, Merson was more forgiving. He argued that the club possesses an abundance of quality players and one of the best managers in the business, which should safeguard them from any serious relegation threat. The only blemish, in his view, was a disappointing result against Nottingham Forest where Liverpool dominated possession but failed to convert chances into goals. "It was worrying, but I’d be shocked if they ever faced relegation," he concluded.
Looking ahead, Merson highlighted the upcoming Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham as a potential momentum‑shifter. "It’s a huge game for both sides. Win it and you can ride that confidence into the international break," he said, underscoring the importance of seizing such opportunities to rebuild belief. He closed by reminding fans to tune in to the Liverpool‑Tottenham encounter on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, with kickoff scheduled for 9 p.m.
on September 15, and even teased a Super 6 competition offering a chance to win £1 million.