Liverpool look ‘tentative’ according to Gary Neville after serious Alisson blunders
Last Updated: February 8, 2021 7:21 pm
Klopp targets top 4 finish
Liverpool experienced one of their most harrowing defeats of the season yesterday after falling 4-1 at home to Manchester City after a number of high-profile errors from goalkeeper Alisson.
The loss leaves them significantly off the pace and most likely out of the title race after winning the league in the previous season. This has led to Jurgen Klopp identifying that the top 4 race is the most pivotal focus for his side this season as they look to not fall out of contention to get Champions League football next season.
“That is of course our main target, that is clear,” Klopp said. “We will try everything. There is enough games to play to secure that – but we have to win games and tonight we didn’t.”
Klopp was asked on the mistakes of his goalkeeper and did identify them as the key reasons for the loss.
“It’s two [instances] where we didn’t give him a lot of options, especially around the first one. I think the second one, yeah, he just mis-hit the ball. I don’t know, it’s not a real explanation for it but maybe he had cold feet or something. It sounds funny but could be. But there’s still the opportunity to kick it in the stands.
“But Ali has saved our life plenty of times, no doubt about that, and tonight he made two mistakes and that’s how it is.”
Neville worried for Reds
After the match, Gary Neville provided a damning assessment of Liverpool’s performance during his podcast. The former Manchester United full-back analysed a side who seem devoid of creativity and directness which cost them attacking threat and ultimately the match.
“They just are really tentative. They’re playing extra passes, they’re not being as direct in their attacking,” said Neville.
“Salah. How many times does he give it away in the opposing half of the pitch where he tries to beat people? It’s frustrating. You see the rest of his team-mates frustrated. Mane as well, Firmino. ‘The direct passes into them are not there.”
Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp reacts during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Burnley at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 21, 2021. (Photo by PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“The risk is in their game isn’t there. The running in their game isn’t there. And things aren’t falling for them.”
“They’ve had injuries. They’ve had a few years going for it at full pelt, the strange season that we’ve had, a number of things can actually just happen at once and it just feels like the perfect storm in terms of what’s happening at Liverpool.”
Liverpool have a number of players which can come back into the fold with Diogo Jota returning from injury and new signings Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak to be integrated into the squad. However, no matter who comes back in, it may now be too late to catch City this season.
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This article was edited by Josh Barker.
Liverpool betting odds, next game:
Leeds vs Liverpool odds: result, both teams to score, correct score & goalscorers
| Leeds vs Liverpool Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | 6/1 | 17/2 |
| Liverpool | 2/1 | 12/5 |
| Draw | 15/4 | 18/1 |
| Leeds vs Liverpool Goalscorers | First | Last | Anytime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | 5/4 | 5/4 | 8/13 |
| Diogo Jota | 2/1 | 2/1 | 10/11 |
| Patrick Bamford | 12/5 | 12/5 | 8/5 |
| Sadio Mane | 12/5 | 12/5 | 11/10 |
| Divock Origi | 11/4 | 11/4 | 7/5 |
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| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City FC | 32 | 44 | 74 |
| 2 | Manchester United FC | 31 | 27 | 63 |
| 3 | Leicester City FC | 31 | 18 | 56 |
| 4 | West Ham United FC | 31 | 12 | 55 |
| 5 | Chelsea FC | 31 | 19 | 54 |
| 6 | Liverpool FC | 31 | 16 | 52 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 31 | 17 | 49 |
| 8 | Everton FC | 30 | 3 | 48 |
| 9 | Arsenal FC | 31 | 8 | 45 |
| 10 | Leeds United | 31 | 0 | 45 |
| 11 | Aston Villa FC | 30 | 10 | 44 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 31 | -10 | 38 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 31 | -19 | 38 |
| 14 | Southampton FC | 31 | -17 | 36 |
| 15 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 31 | -5 | 33 |
| 16 | Burnley FC | 31 | -17 | 33 |
| 17 | Newcastle United FC | 31 | -19 | 32 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 32 | -18 | 26 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 31 | -31 | 24 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 31 | -38 | 14 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 19 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 19 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 16 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 14 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 14 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 14 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 13 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 12 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 12 |
| Gundogan, Ilkay | Manchester City FC | 12 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 10 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 10 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 9 |
| Mahrez, Riyad | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 9 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 9 |
| Aubameyang, Pierre-Emerick | Arsenal FC | 9 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 9 |
| Pereira, Matheus | West Bromwich Albion | 8 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maguire, Harry | Manchester United FC | 0 | 9 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 8 |
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 8 |
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 8 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 7 |
| Luiz, Douglas | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 7 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 8 |
| Soucek, Tomas | West Ham United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Shaw, Luke | Manchester United FC | 0 | 7 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 7 |
| Neves, Ruben | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 0 | 7 |
| Xhaka, Granit | Arsenal FC | 1 | 6 |
| Phillips, Kalvin | Leeds United | 0 | 7 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 7 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 6 |
| Targett, Matt | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 7 |
| Holgate, Mason | Everton FC | 0 | 7 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 6 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 6 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 13 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 11 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 10 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 10 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 9 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 7 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 6 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 6 |
| Pereira, Matheus | West Bromwich Albion | 6 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 6 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 6 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Neto, Pedro | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 6 |
| Gross, Pascal | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 6 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 6 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 5 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United FC | 5 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 5 |
