Alan Shearer says Liverpool star Milos Kerkez is not the same player he was last season, with the Hungary international’s performance in their 2-1 derby win over Everton raising concerns for the pundit.
Kerkez made his fifth Premier League start of the campaign under Arne Slot on Saturday, helping the Reds to a narrow win that maintained their perfect start to the season.
While fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike impressed by scoring once more, Kerkez came under scrutiny following the final whistle, with Shearer questioning the Hungarian’s role in Liverpool’s star-studded squad.
It has been difficult for the former Bournemouth star to adapt to Liverpool’s playing style following his £40m summer arrival, and Shearer has suggested that Kerkez’s presence is contributing to a lack of balance in defence.
Alan Shearer Concerned About Milos Kerkez
Speaking on NBC Sports, Shearer said Kerkez is ‘not the same player’ he was last season at Bournemouth, with the 21-year-old looking ‘caught in two minds’ during Liverpool’s win over Everton:
“Well, at the minute we’re not seeing the same player in Kerkez, particularly the left-hand side as we saw with Bournemouth.
“He was free-flowing. He had the license to go and roam and get forward. Here, to me it seems as if he’s caught in two minds whether he’s going to go, whether he’s going to stay and help protect that with Van Dijk and Konate.”
Kerkez has featured in all of Liverpool’s first seven games in all competitions this season, including coming off the bench in their 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
The Hungary international has yet to register a goal contribution following his breakout 2024/25 campaign at Bournemouth, where he scored two goals and provided six assists in the Premier League.
Liverpool sit top of the Premier League after five games, having scored 11 goals –more than any other side before Sunday’s action.
The Reds last won five consecutive Premier League games in September 2023 under Jurgen Klopp and will aim to extend their perfect run during their visit to Crystal Palace next Saturday.
Sunday’s game also marked only the second time in history that Liverpool have won five consecutive home games against Everton, previously doing so from February 1933 to January 1937.
