Liverpool fell to defeat for the third consecutive match on Saturday evening as they were beaten by Chelsea. The Reds went into the match at Stamford Bridge looking to bounce back following losses to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray in the past week.
It looked as if they would stop the rot when Moises Caicedo’s opener after 14 minutes was cancelled out by Cody Gakpo’s strike just after the hour-mark. However, Estevao netted with virtually the last kick of the game in injury-time to snatch all three points for Chelsea and condemn Liverpool to another defeat.
Gary Neville Tears Into Milos Kerkez
Gary Neville was very critical of Liverpool following the match. He wasn’t very impressed with Ibrahima Konate, claiming he ‘annoyed’ Arne Slot before having to be withdrawn following an injury in the second half.
He was also not impressed at all with Milos Kerkez. The 21-year-old, who made the £40m move from Bournemouth to Liverpool this summer, has not had a very good start to life in Merseyside.
Neville took aim at the Hungarian after the match as he called him ‘naive’ and said that he ‘looked like a youth team player’. He told Sky Sports:
“[Milos] Kerkez looks like a youth team player. I know he’s a good player but he looks like he’s playing for the U21s. He looks so naïve; he looks like a baby out there.
“He’s losing, he’s losing 50-50s against Pedro Neto. It’s not as if he’s coming from a different country, he’s got a lot of games under his belt in the Premier League.
“I expected him to slot in because one, he’s playing alongside Virgil van Dijk, the best centre-half in the world, so if you want to play in a back four you want to play with great defenders and he’s doing that.
“He’s got players who work hard on that side – it’s not as if he’s got Salah in front of him on this side which is a bit more difficult for the right back because you always get a little bit more exposed. “I have to say from the first 10 minutes of that game against Bournemouth on the first day of the season on that Friday night, he struggled.”
Neville didn’t just single out Kerkez, though – he also criticised Liverpool’s other full-backs.
He added: “Let’s be clear, Liverpool’s full-backs are struggling. Frimpong looks like he should be playing as a right winger – he doesn’t perform like a right-back. Conor Bradley isn’t doing it, and Andy Robertson, I think he’s battling but he’s not quite where he was a few years ago.
“Liverpool’s problems I think at this moment in time as much to do with full-back as anywhere. They need to button that down.”
Liverpool will be looking to snap their three-game losing streak and return to winning ways when they welcome Manchester United to Anfield for their next match on Sunday October 19.