Liverpool suffered their third straight defeat on Saturday evening, losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Reds came into the match hoping to recover from back-to-back losses to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray but were once again left disappointed.
After Moises Caicedo opened the scoring for Chelsea in the 14th minute, Cody Gakpo equalised just past the hour mark to give Liverpool hope of avoiding another setback. However, Estevao’s stoppage-time winner sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory for the hosts and handed Arne Slot’s side yet another painful defeat.
Gary Neville Slams Milos Kerkez
Following the match, Gary Neville was highly critical of Liverpool’s performance. The Sky Sports pundit singled out defender Ibrahima Konate, suggesting that he “annoyed” manager Arne Slot before being substituted in the second half due to injury.
Neville was especially harsh on Milos Kerkez, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth this summer for £40 million. The 21-year-old has endured a rough start at Anfield, and Neville branded his display as “naïve,” claiming he looked “like a youth team player.”
“Kerkez looks like he’s playing for the U21s,” Neville told Sky Sports. “He looks so naïve—like a baby out there. He’s losing 50-50s against Pedro Neto. It’s not like he’s new to the league; he’s played a fair amount of Premier League football. I expected him to settle quickly, especially with Virgil van Dijk alongside him, one of the best defenders in the world. He also has hardworking teammates on that side, so there’s no excuse. From the first game of the season against Bournemouth, he’s looked uncomfortable.”
Neville didn’t stop there. He also criticised Liverpool’s other full-backs, claiming that their struggles are contributing heavily to the team’s defensive problems.
“Liverpool’s full-backs are struggling,” he added. “Frimpong looks more like a winger than a right-back, Conor Bradley isn’t performing, and Andy Robertson isn’t quite the player he once was. Right now, Liverpool’s biggest issues are coming from those wide defensive areas—they really need to tighten that up.”
Liverpool will aim to end their three-match losing run when they host Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday, October 19.
Leave a Reply