Bradley Barcola’s Liverpool performance in the 3-0 defeat by Manchester City has drawn criticism, with three major outlets rating the winger at 5/10.
Liverpool’s attacking display was underwhelming even before Ryan Gravenberch was sent off, and Barcola was among those unable to make a significant impact against City.
Bradley Barcola criticised after Liverpool performance
The former Paris Saint-Germain player has faced criticism since his summer move, although he offered an explanation for the demands of adapting to the Premier League after the match.
“Ligue 1 is very physical. But here, I would say it’s more physical in terms of the running you have to do. The games are end-to-end,” Barcola said.
“The intensity is so high. But that’s also why I came here. It’s a new challenge for me to take on.”
However, his performance against Manchester City was judged harshly by the Daily Mail, BBC and Daily Express.
The Daily Mail said Barcola had shown “one or two nice moments” but added that Liverpool manager Iraola would be demanding more from the £123 million signing, who “has not got going in a red shirt yet”.
The BBC described him as “sharp on the ball” and credited him with completing his defensive duties, but said he “must to do more in the final third”.
The Daily Express similarly noted that Barcola had worked hard defensively but “didn’t offer enough in attack”, underlining the pressure on the winger to improve his contribution in front of goal.
