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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Ian Doyle

Jamie Carragher on Liverpool player he can't ignore and what you shouldn't do with his Carra Challenge

It is fast becoming a Sunday ritual for football fans across the country and beyond, a chance to pit their wits against a Liverpool legend.

During lockdown, Jamie Carragher has been asking supporters to pick their best starting XI based on certain criteria.

The #CarraChallenge initiative has led to a lively exchange of views between players past and present over who should be included and who, frankly, should be nowhere near.

The latest challenge sees involves picking a team - plus substitute and manager - of Champions League winners, with no more than one club or nationality represented.

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But while having - at least not yet - annoyed a player for being overlooked, there's one former Liverpool colleague with whom Carragher is not taking any chances.

"I haven't had any players getting in touch wondering why they haven't been put in the team!" he said to the ECHO.

"The only one I'm quite mindful about is I have to put Stevie (Gerrard) in, although it's not too hard to do that because he was that good anyway and nobody can question it.

"I do love little things like that and thinking about who is the better player."

Previous challenges have included a team including one player from any Premier League club with only one player available from any nation, and a best world XI from players when you have been alive with no two players from the same country or who have played for the same club.

And Carragher, as was the case when a player and now as a pundit for Sky Sports, takes the selection very seriously.

"I actually get wound up when I see people picking names and there is no balance in the team," he said. "I hate it.

"Graeme Souness the other day had a team with Eden Hazard and Son from Tottenham in a midfield three, and I'm like 'Graeme, please!'."

Despite being confused by some of the more curious picks, Carragher is hopeful is challenges are providing a much-needed distraction.

"I actually think we need something like that," he said.

"I get plenty of feedback on Twitter and Instagram about it for a couple of days after I put a team out, and to be honest that's why what we need at times like this.

"It's something to take your mind off the serious situation that's happening even if it's only for a couple of hours."

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