Andoni Iraola's usage of big-money Liverpool forward Bradley Barcola is in the spotlight after the Champions League defeat by Fenerbahce.

The Red's were beaten 3-2 in Turkey on Wednesday night despite twice taking the lead, as their 100 percent record in the competition this season was ended by a team managed by former Anfield star Dirk Kuyt.

The reverse came off the back of a tight 1-0 loss to Arsenal in the Premier League at the weekend, with the results combining to mark a significant check on the recent progress on Merseyside under Iraola.

Barcola, a £123 million signing from Paris Saint-Germain this season, played the full 90 minutes but was unable to prevent the comeback victory in rain-soaked Istanbul.

His output on the night has drawn the focus of former England striker Gary Lineker who is confused by Iraola's apparent instructions to the Frenchman.

Liverpool set-up baffles in Fenerbahce defeat

Iraola left record-signing Alexander Isak on the bench in midweek as he fielded Barcola as a central striker with Rio Ngumoha and Victor Munoz in wide positions.

The former PSG man is usually a wide forward himself and has otherwise been used as such since his blockbuster arrival from Ligue 1 late in the summer transfer window.

Barcola went close on a couple of occasions but the 24-year-old was unable to find the net and subsequently came under fire, with his goal output in a Liverpool shirt consisting only of the hat-trick he scored in a 6-3 win over LASK in October.

Isak was introduced just after the hour mark and scored with a header almost immediately as the Reds' attack resorted to a more familiar lineup, but Lineker can't understand what ex-Bournemouth manager Iraola was going for by putting his own marquee signing out of position.

The ex-international and long-time television host was discussing the match on his The Rest Is Football podcast with Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, expressing his surprise at the decision.

Lineker calls out Iraola move in Champions League

The 65-year-old said: "I thought it was unusual. [Barcola] doesn't look like that sort of player to me that can play there. So I was surprised.

"I saw Iraola's interview after the match, and he said, 'Well, yeah, obviously he's much better in wide positions, but we wanted to do this, that, and the other.'

"And I thought, 'Well, okay, you bring in a star player for over £100 million, and then play him in a position that he's not really familiar with.' I thought was a bit odd."

Barcola is the latest Liverpool star to arrive at Anfield with a mammoth price tag and struggle to really hit the ground running, following Isak and Florian Wirtz's nine-figure moves ahead of last season.

The French international has only completed 90 minutes three times in his 13 appearances across all competitions and, outside of his goalscoring display against LASK, has only a pair of Premier League assists to his name.

Liverpool face Crystal Palace next before the international break, heading to Selhurst Park on Sunday.