Danny Murphy identifies defensive weaknesses and declining form as Liverpool loses ground in title race

Danny Murphy claims Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are failing to meet Liverpool standards as Cody Gakpo’s form declines following the loss to Wolves.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 4, 2026, 9:55 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Football365

Defensive struggles at Molineux

Liverpool’s pursuit of a consecutive Premier League title suffered a setback following a two to one defeat against Wolves at Molineux Stadium. The result ended a three game winning streak for Arne Slot’s side and left the defending champions trailing fifth place Aston Villa by three points. Pundit Danny Murphy noted that the performance was particularly concerning given that the opposition currently occupies the bottom of the table and faces a high probability of relegation to the Championship.

Analysis of the full back positions

A primary focus of Murphy’s criticism was the performance of the starting full backs, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. Frimpong, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for twenty nine point five million pounds in the summer of 2025, appeared physically off the pace throughout the encounter. Murphy argued that the Netherlands international has yet to demonstrate the same level of influence as previous options in that position, noting that the player seemed visibly fatigued during the second half of the match.

Concerns on the left flank

On the opposite side of the defense, Milos Kerkez faced similar scrutiny after his forty million pound move from Bournemouth. The left back struggled to contain the speed of Wolves attacker Mateus Mane and missed a significant opportunity to equalize from close range. Murphy suggested that Kerkez is currently unable to replicate the defensive solidity and attacking threat that defined the role in previous seasons, characterizing the recruitment in wide defensive areas as a growing problem for the squad.