As Arne Slot’s Liverpool wrapped up their Premier League season with a lacklustre 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, a match with no bearing on the title race, pundit and former defender Jamie Carragher singled out one of the team’s title-winning players for criticism.
Crystal Palace took an early lead thanks to Ismaila Sarr’s ninth-minute goal at Anfield. Things worsened for the hosts when Ryan Gravenberch was sent off just before the 70th minute, making a comeback even more difficult.
Mohamed Salah managed to salvage a point in the 84th minute with a goal that saw him tie the record for most goal involvements (47) in a Premier League season — a milestone he now shares with Andy Cole (1993/94) and Alan Shearer (1994/95).
Despite the draw, Liverpool had already clinched the league title with four matches to spare. However, Carragher didn’t hold back in his criticism of one of Slot’s players, highlighting the need for improvement ahead of a crucial summer transfer window.
Carragher Targets Szoboszlai After Final-Day Performance
Even though Liverpool coasted to the 2024/25 title, Slot and his staff are anticipating a busy summer of transfers, with the club eyeing further reinforcements. Among their top targets is Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, a potential signing that raises questions about the future of Dominik Szoboszlai.
Speaking during the second half of the Palace match, Carragher raised doubts about Szoboszlai’s role if Wirtz joins the squad.
“There’ll be a lot of debate about what happens with Szoboszlai if Wirtz comes in,” he said.
Signed from RB Leipzig in 2023 for a hefty fee, Szoboszlai has shown flashes of promise but has struggled to consistently impress in England.
One moment in the Palace match particularly bothered Carragher — when Szoboszlai, with a chance to shoot, chose instead to pass to Salah, who was chasing a league record.
“Liverpool need more in that area,” Carragher commented. “He had a great chance at the edge of the box and chose to pass. That tells you something about his mindset.”
Breakdown of Szoboszlai’s Performance
Szoboszlai was substituted in the 61st minute, replaced by the out-of-form Darwin Nunez, as Liverpool failed to make much of an impression in what marked Trent Alexander-Arnold’s final game for the club.
The Hungarian international, considered one of the top number 8s globally, completed two key passes and all three of his attempted long balls. However, his only shot missed the target, according to Sofascore.
Szoboszlai is under contract until summer 2028, having signed a five-year deal upon joining. Whether the arrival of Wirtz would push him toward the exit remains uncertain, but moving his £150,000-a-week salary off the wage bill could benefit Liverpool financially.