Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli should be replaced by Raheem Sterling against Real Madrid, says former defender Jamie Carragher.
Italian striker Balotelli has suffered with poor form this season since his £16m move from AC Milan, which was topped off by missing an open goal against Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.
Liverpool host Real Madrid on Wednesday night and former defender Carragher believes that Raheem Sterling should be played instead of Balotelli as the lone striker.
“[Balotelli] doesn’t run around enough,” he told Sky Sports’ ‘Monday Night Football’. “Against Real Madrid you’ve got to get that crowd going. You need to get back to Liverpool of last year and that pressing.
“There’s got to be an energy about Liverpool that we haven’t seen; we’ve seen it once this season at Spurs. It’s going on too long now and we can’t keep waiting. It’s a huge game and Liverpool have to get something from it.
“I would put Sterling in there because he can run in behind and Liverpool may have to counterattack a lot of the game. Madrid may have a lot of the ball. Sterling can also press from the front. He doesn’t have to play right up front and he can come back and help the midfield.
“They can’t have any passengers against Real Madrid.
“The decision I would make would be to bring Coutinho in for Balotelli. I wouldn’t play Balotelli in this game. I would play Sterling, whether you’d call it a centre forward or a false nine.
“I think it’s important Liverpool have three players [in front of Steven Gerrard] who work and get after Real Madrid and then Sterling, if he’s off the front, can run in behind people. I’d have Coutinho in a wide area.
“I think they can [get something from the game] but it’s how Brendan Rodgers sets up. You’ve got to get Anfield bouncing. There’s got to be an energy and intensity about Liverpool and enthusiasm.”