Jamie Carragher has dismissed claims that Thiago Alcantara is to blame for slowing down Liverpool's play.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich midfielder has been heavily criticised since he made the move to the Premier League champions last summer.
Carragher accepts that Thiago has been a defensive liability but feels that most of Liverpool's problems are down to losing their 'pounding heart' in midfield with injuries to Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson.
'I never believed Thiago was signed to play every game,' Carragher wrote in his Telegraph column.