Philippe Coutinho may have to get used to playing out of position if he is to feature in a Liverpool side containing both James Milner and Jordan Henderson, according to Jamie Carragher.
Coutinho scored a spectacular winner as Brendan Rodgers' side earned a 1-0 Premier League victory at Stoke last Sunday, but has been dropped from the latest Brazil squad.
National team coach Dunga could find no place for the 23-year-old in his 24-man party to face Costa Rica and the United States in September.
And former Liverpool vice-captain Carragher has raised a question as to how Coutinho will fit into his club side this season.
At Stoke, the Brazilian played in what is widely considered to be his strongest position, a central role just behind the main striker.
Summer signing Milner, brought in on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expired, played alongside new captain Henderson in a deeper midfield role.
Carragher, though, thinks that Rodgers may be tempted to play a three-man midfield, with a holding player behind Henderson and Milner -- meaning that Coutinho would have to play in a wide attacking role.
The retired defender told The Liverpool Way podcast: "I think Liverpool have a slight problem in the coming weeks and months.
"If you play a holding midfielder behind Milner and Henderson, then that's your midfield three and unless you play a diamond formation, then Coutinho is going to end up in a wide role in a 4-3-3.
"He got the winner at Blackburn in the FA Cup last season, but I was at the game at Ewood Park and he was actually playing wide right, and it just didn't look right.
"He doesn't feel comfortable there and I just feel he has to play in a central role.
"So he almost has to be one of those three, and if he is then that means either Henderson or Milner isn't if you play with that holding midfield player."