Liverpool have managed to win their opening two Premier League matches this season, but Jamie Carragher has been less than impressed with the performances of three players
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool looks dejected after William Osula of Newcastle United (not pictured) scores
Liverpool managed to leave St James' Park with a win despite some poor performances
(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Three Liverpool stars have been drastically underperforming in their shaky start to the season, according to Jamie Carragher. The Reds have kicked off their campaign with back-to-back wins over Bournemouth and Newcastle, despite some concerning performances.
After scoring two late goals to beat the Cherries 4-2 on the opening day of the season, Liverpool overcame Newcastle 3-2 with a 100th-minute winner from 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha on Monday night. Arne Slot’s side held a 2-0 lead against 10 men at St James’ Park, but conceded twice from set pieces.
Bruno Guimaraes headed in Tino Livramento’s cross following a long throw-in to halve the deficit before Will Osula got onto a Dan Burn flick-on to make it 2-2. Milos Kerkez failed to challenge Guimaraes at the back post, while Konate was beaten to the long ball by Burn.
“Kerkez has made a really poor start to his Liverpool career,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “He found it really difficult against Bournemouth, he was a little bit nervous.
“He was up against [Anthony] Elanga today, not easy, but this (his effort for the Guimaraes goal) is just not enough – you’ve just got to go and head the ball and he’s almost just trying to stop the player. That is just really, really poor. He’s not the biggest, but you’ve got to jump, you’ve got to challenge in that situation.”
Carragher was also hugely critical of Konate, who has struggled in central defence, while Mohamed Salah was also name-checked. The Egyptian forward recorded the assist for Ngumoha’s winner, but was otherwise quiet at St James’ Park.
“Mo Salah and Ibrahima Konate have had really poor starts,” he said on Monday Night Football. “He (Konate) has been all over the place.” Speaking about the Nick Pope long ball that Burn flicked on for Osula, he added: “I want my centre-back to go and win that.
Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher thought Liverpool were lucky to win against Newcastle
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“He was more interested in grabbing his arm. He was not at the races at all. I shudder to think where Liverpool would be without Virgil van Dijk, who has been absolutely outstanding.”
Carragher was critical of the entire Liverpool team in his immediate reaction post-match. “I think what we've seen tonight is possibly one of the worst performances from a winning team and one of the best performances from a losing team," he said.
Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United is challenged by Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool
Ibrahima Konate struggled against Newcastle
"Liverpool won't care right now, of course, they'll be absolutely ecstatic, but Eddie Howe's men tonight were absolutely outstanding.
"It did (seem like it was over at 2-0), but that crowd, that intensity they played with, I actually fear what the score might have been if it had been 11 vs 11. I think Newcastle would've won the game - they were far better than Liverpool in every aspect."
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