Liverpool players knew they’d have to be at something approaching their best during Sunday’s visit of Manchester City to Anfield.
The Reds have been poor at home on too many occasions this season, and they could not afford to do the same against Pep Guardiola’s team.
Initially, that did not especially go to plan. Liverpool started sluggishly, with too many of the starting XI second best in their respective battles.
Who was Liverpool’s best player during the breathless defeat against Man City?
Liverpool v Manchester City - Premier League
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One player who absolutely bucked that disappointing trend was Milos Kerkez, who was facing former Bournemouth teammate Antoine Semenyo on the City right wing.
Kerkez has been much better recently and after turning in another assured performance at Anfield, the Hungarian drew praise from Gary Neville.
Milos Kerkez did ‘really well’ against Man City
After a difficult beginning to his Liverpool career, Kerkez has become one of the Reds’ most consistent performers in recent weeks.
On Sunday, he looked right up for it against Semenyo, snapping into a couple of early tackles and playing with an intensity which was lacking in some of his teammates.
Erling Haaland battles Milos Kerkez for the ball during Liverpool vs Manchester City in the Premier League at Anfield
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
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One standout moment came midway through the first-half, when Kerkez raced out to block a dangerous-looking strike from Semenyo. Commentating on Sky Sports, Neville was suitably impressed.
“He’s done well Kerkez, he’s done really well,” raved the pundit. “Most defenders there spread their legs and it ends up going through into the far corner.
“This one here, he just shuts his legs and closes them together quickly, it’s good work.”
Really disappointing result at Anfield. What went wrong?
Bernardo Silva celebrates after scoring for Manchester City against Liverpool in the Premier League at Anfield (Credit: Getty Photo Credit: Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Was Kerkez Liverpool’s best player against City?
Liverpool did grow into the game and were the better side after a difficult first-half against City, but generally the Reds were disappointing once again.
Having impressed Neville, Kerkez possibly was Liverpool’s best player, and that is not saying a lot for the rest of the team.
Both centre-halves did well too, but from the midfield upwards, nobody should be happy with their performances at Anfield.
Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch were far too easily ran in midfield, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo were non-existent and too loose with the ball in wide areas, and Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz could not get their usual link-up going.
While it is pleasing to see Kerkez continue to improve, he should not regularly be coming away as Liverpool’s best player. If he is, something is really badly wrong.
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