Curtis Jones reacts towards Darwin Nunez after conceding the opening goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC at St James' Park on December 4, 2024
Slot has defensive issue
Jarell Quansah was right back were it started at St James’ Park. In more ways than one.
The defender had made a surprise senior Liverpool debut during the eventful triumph at Newcastle United last season when answering the call from the bench with Ibrahima Konate injured and Virgil van Dijk having been dismissed.
Mere days ago, though, Quansah couldn’t have anticipated his latest Tyneside assignment. But needs must for Liverpool right now. And with Trent Alexander-Arnold not fit enough to start two successive games and Conor Bradley sidelined, Quansah, having come on at right-back for the closing stages against Manchester City at the weekend, was in there from the start.
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Given he was up against one-time Liverpool transfer target Anthony Gordon, it didn’t make for an easy night. But he wasn’t the only visiting defender to struggle on an evening in which their absences – Konate and Kostas Tsimikas also out – were perhaps keenly felt for the first time.
Quansah shifted to centre-back when Alexander-Arnold, introduced for the inconsistent Gomez, gave Liverpool a much greater attacking threat down the right with two assists. And even the usually unflappable Van Dijk was knocked out of his stride too often.
Indeed, it will be a worry that Liverpool have now shipped at least two goals in each of their last four away games. Arne Slot knows that must be addressed.
Midfield problem addressed
For Curtis Jones, this was a landmark 150th appearance for Liverpool. A shame, then, that his fellow starting midfielders weren’t inclined to join the celebrations.
Jones, undoubtedly with a point to prove after being benched against City, was one of the few positives during the Reds’ dismal first-half showing in which, for the first time this season, the midfield was overpowered and overrun.
Given the huge shift against Real Madrid and City, that was perhaps understandable. Nevertheless, a seriously jaded Ryan Gravenberch can rarely have been more ineffective, and while Alexis Mac Allister was more of a threat in attack, his defensive efforts at times waned.
The Argentina international’s first-half booking rules him out of Saturday’s derby and, in truth, offers a breather he perhaps needs.
Jones, though, more than held his own, and it was apt his deflected strike brought Liverpool back into the game five minutes into the second half.
And with Dominik Szoboszlai making a positive difference from the bench in the final quarter, it goes some way to explaining how the Reds helped wrest the initiative from the hosts.
Nunez concerns grow
From a goal on his first outing at the stadium to his memorable brace from the bench last season, St James’ Park had proven a very happy hunting ground for Darwin Nunez.
This time, though, the Liverpool striker would have been content with just being given a decent pass from one of his team-mates during the first half
But when opportunities finally presented themselves in the second half, Nunez found his touch wanting, unable to reach Cody Gakpo’s header across goal and then later, after a Luis Diaz shot was deflected into his path, hurriedly scuffing the ball wide.
As ever, Nunez could not be faulted for effort and his pressing played his part in the overall second-half improvement from Liverpool.
But strikers are ultimately judged on goals and the Uruguayan has now scored only three times in 18 appearances this season. With Diogo Jota still out, whether Slot replicates playing Luis Diaz down the centre of the attack this weekend will intrigue.