Federico Chiesa has quietly emerged as one of Liverpool’s most exciting attacking options this season, making a series of eye-catching contributions off the bench.
But despite his form, the Italian has yet to earn a sustained run in the starting XI a situation that former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy believes must change.
Murphy has publicly urged manager Arne Slot to give Chiesa a regular role, pointing to the 27-year-old’s combination of pace, physicality, and goal-scoring instinct as qualities that could fill the void left by Luis Diaz, who departed for Bayern Munich over the summer.
“Chiesa hasn’t been given that chance yet, and I’d be amazed if he isn’t in the coming weeks,” he told AceOdds
Chiesa first caught the eye during Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton last month. Coming off the bench, he set up one of the Reds’ goals in a 2-1 victory at Anfield, assisting Hugo Ekitike with precise, intelligent delivery that highlighted his vision and creativity in the final third.
He then followed that with a goal during a substitute appearance in a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, showing the kind of dynamism and attacking threat that has fans calling for him to start more often. A minor injury, however, saw him miss Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey, limiting opportunities to build momentum.
Murphy argues that Chiesa’s skill set particularly his work rate off the ball closely mirrors the qualities Liverpool have lost since Diaz’s departure.
“You could argue there’s definitely been a hole left by Luis Diaz. I understand why they sold him. It’s business,” Murphy said.
“But Diaz gave Liverpool a real tenacity in the press like Sadio Mane did. He’s similar in terms of the work ethic off the ball, and Chiesa has that.”
The former England international believes that giving Chiesa a run of games could unlock his full potential. While the Italian has impressed as a substitute, consistent minutes could allow him to settle, build confidence, and influence matches from the start.
“Well I think he’s stuck with Gakpo because of his performances last season and he knows that he can rely on Gakpo without the ball but I think Gakpo has been underwhelming. He looks a bit short of confidence and he’s been giving the ball away.”
“I know he scored against Chelsea but his performance was nowhere near to the levels needed and that he’s shown last season. Based on the games I’ve watched and not the online discourse of Liverpool fans, I would like to see Chiesa given a chance on the left side. I actually agree with Liverpool supporters online in that sense. Whenever he’s come on, he’s looked like a goal threat and full of confidence.”
“Also, no one can deny his work ethic without the ball. His end product from crosses to shots on target and getting in dangerous positions has been pretty phenomenal. I’m surprised we haven’t seen more of him to be honest.”
Murphy continues by saying that starting Chiesa isn’t a risk because if he doesn’t perform, he can go back to being an impact sub. While he admits he’s speaking from an outsider’s view, he urges Slot to give Chiesa the chance to make an impact as a starter.
“The only thing I’d say in defence of the manager is in training certain things come to the fore more than snippets will on a match day and he’s watching them train so you have to put faith in the manager. I do think Chiesa needs a run in the team though.”
“If you give him a run of games and he doesn’t have the same impact, it might just be that he’s better off the bench. At a lot of clubs some players are just better off the bench. When coming off the bench players feel as though they’ve got nothing to lose and play free. I’ve done it myself. You’re angry and annoyed and you play with some freedom.. When starting there’s pressure because you feel as though you’ve got to play well. “
“Chiesa hasn’t been given that chance yet and I’d be amazed if he isn’t in the coming weeks. The levels he’s shown in his all around game form the goals, to the physicality and determination is something he deserves recognition for.
Murphy concludes his analysis of Chiesa by saying that among all Liverpool players, he’s the one who can fill in the hole left by Luis Diaz’s departure to Bayern Munich.
“And you could argue there’s definitely been a hole left by Diaz. I understand why they sold him. It’s business.”
“But Diaz gave Liverpool a real tenacity in the press like Mane did. He’s similar in terms of the work ethic off the ball and Chiesa has that.”
As Liverpool prepare for a critical run of fixtures, Murphy’s call for Chiesa to start regularly adds to a growing chorus of voices suggesting that the Italian’s time has come. Whether Slot agrees remains to be seen, but the former midfielder believes Chiesa could provide the spark Liverpool have been missing in recent weeks.
