Jamie Carragher prior to Liverpool FC v Real Madrid C.F. - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Liverpool needed to come from behind to beat Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday night at Anfield.
Jamie Carragher was watching Liverpool from afar, working for CBS Sports, who hold the rights for Champions League football for American viewers in the States.
Liverpool gifted Villarreal with the opening goal when van Dijk’s header went wayward and fell right into the path of goalscorer Georges Mikautadze, and that theme continued throughout the night.
According to Carragher, as he told CBS Sports, one of the reasons behind Liverpool’s abject defensive display was that ‘they weren’t ready’, and because of the type of team that was picked by Andoni Iraola, it was like a ‘domestic cup game in England.’
READ MORE:Alexis Mac Allister reveals how Andoni Iraola changed things to improve Liverpool vs Villarreal
Rio Ngumoha was the star of the night for Liverpool against Villarreal but how far can he go and what is his ceiling?
I was a little bit unsure heading into the season, didnt think he had the pace to be a truly elite winger. But switching wings has changed things completely, he looks a different player. He could be one of the best in the world by the end of the season if he carries on. Still some question marks, but I see him as a Saka level possibly
He is such a talent. Frightening pace, power and explosiveness. He’s not a typical winger in the modern era, actually a bit of a throwback, but he has a really exciting future
I think he could be world class for sure… once he starts adding more goals to his game, he’ll be playing regularly for England. Surely a shoe in for the Euros in 2028
Jamie Carragher explains why Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk were defensively poor vs Villarreal
This is Liverpool in the Champions League; there simply can be no excuses for what unfolded against Villarreal, and in truth, the team got away with it.
Yes, van Dijk is a legend, and he isn’t the problem here, because this isn’t a case of individual issues, but the whole team without the ball.
While Carragher’s excuse for the defensive display doesn’t and shouldn’t wash with supporters, he thinks the issues stemmed right ‘through the centre of defence’, as he told CBS Sports.
“They didn’t look ready for the game,” said Carragher. “You see the mistakes Virgil van Dijk makes for the first goal. Not like him, but it probably tells you about the mindset going into the game. There were five or six changes from Liverpool.
“It almost looked like Liverpool were playing one of the cup competitions in England. But they were really poor defensively all night, especially through the centre. They just weren’t right. It wasn’t just the back four. It was right through the centre of defence. They deserved to go 2-0 up.”
Carragher gives his flowers to ‘standout’ Rio Ngumoha
One massive shining light for Liverpool was the performance of Rio Ngumoha, because he was simply outstanding.
Ngumoha supplied two assists against Villarreal and secured the Man of the Match award, with Carragher stating that he was ‘the best player on the pitch.’
There aren’t many Liverpool players who could have held their heads high when the full-time whistle blew, but Carragher was right to give his flowers to Ngumoha.
“But this lad was the best player on the pitch, Rio Ngumoha,” said Carragher. “He helped get some of the goals. Two goals, so a great performance from him.
“Goals are more important than assists. But the guy getting the assist, I think, was the standout player in the game.”