Liverpool suffered a gutting 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as 18-year-old change Estevao Willian struck in stoppage time to seal the guests’ distress, and previous England right-back Gary Neville didn’t hang again in his post-match overview.
Neville singled out left-back Milos Kerkez for grievance on Sky Sports activities, describing the younger defender as “naïve” and announcing he “looks like a baby out there.”
The feedback have added gas to the controversy over Liverpool’s shape and their defensive frailties after a run of effects that has left supporters an increasing number of anxious.
Chelsea’s dramatic victory, a Ninety fifth-minute winner following Moisés Caicedo’s early strike and Cody Gakpo’s second-half equaliser, passed the Blues 3 the most important issues and left Liverpool reeling.
The past due defeat endured a being concerned series for the Reds, who’ve now misplaced consecutive fits throughout competitions and conceded past due objectives that experience shifted momentum clear of them. The outcome and the way of defeat caused robust reactions.
Gary Neville used to be important of Milos Kerkez
Neville used to be in particular blunt about Kerkez’s efficiency.
‘The boy Kerkez, to be honest with you, at this point in time, he looks like a youth-team player,’ he mentioned on The Gary Neville Podcast.
‘I know he’s a just right participant, however he looks as if he’s taking part in for the early life staff, or the Underneath-21s. He appears to be like so naive; he looks as if a child in the market. He’s shedding 50-50s with Neto!
‘He’s had Premier League enjoy, it’s no longer like he’s are available in from every other nation. He’s were given a large number of video games beneath his belt, he’s performed at those grounds prior to, so I anticipated him to fit in.
‘One, he’s taking part in along Virgil Van Dijk, the most productive centre 1/2 on the earth, so if you wish to play in a again 4, you wish to have to play with nice defenders and he’s doing.
‘And he’s were given avid gamers who paintings arduous on that aspect, it’s no longer like he’s taking part in at the appropriate with Salah in entrance of him, which is at all times just a little tougher since you at all times get a little bit bit extra uncovered.
‘But I have to say from the first ten minutes of that game against Bournemouth on the first game of the season, he’s struggled.’
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Liverpool protection has struggled this seasonPedro Neto of Chelsea battles for ownership with Milos Kerkez of Liverpool (Photograph by way of Justin Setterfield/Getty Pictures)
Neville’s harsh verdict on Kerkez will best magnify the scrutiny round Liverpool’s contemporary wobble.
Whilst one efficiency will have to no longer outline a participant’s occupation, the combo of past due defeats and shaky defensive presentations manner the margin for error is getting smaller for Arne Slot’s aspect.
Liverpool will have to to find quick answers, whether or not via tactical tweaks, team of workers adjustments or mental reset, in a different way remoted mistakes and the type of lapses Neville described chance turning into ordinary subject matters fairly than remoted incidents.
James Pearce hints at main damage blow for Liverpool after Chelsea defeat
