‘It’s half-hearted’ – Ex-Red left furious at Liverpool star’s actions during FA Cup defeat at Brighton
Jason McAteer was left raging with Darwin Nunez after Brighton scored an injury time winner to knock Liverpool out of the FA Cup earlier today and is concerned that his former side may not win a thing this season.
Although Harvey Elliott had initially put the Reds ahead on the south coast, a fortuitous goal from Lewis Dunk and a late strike from Kaoru Mitoma helped Roberto De Zerbi’s side through to round five.
While reviewing the Seagulls’ winner, the ex-Red was left unhappy with the efforts of our No. 27 and his attempts to stop the Japan international’s effort.
“When the free-kick is set and you are looking around to see who you are marking,” McAteer told beIN Sports (via HITC). “How does that happen? Two men at the back stick?! That should not happen.
“This I can kind of understand (Gomez turning his back as Mitoma takes a first touch and then shoots with his second), it’s another phase, he’s taken it down, everyone is moving around, you lose a player and I can kind of get that one where he is free.
“That one, I don’t understand (Estupinan being free prior to his cross to Mitoma). I don’t how he has managed to be left with that much time and space?! I would be critical of Nunez. Watch Nunez. He (Mitoma) does Gomez, fair enough, he tries to block the shot.
“Does Nunez do enough there?! Does he put his body on the line to say ‘I am going to stop that from going in?’. He is there! Throw your body at it. You don’t dangle your leg. It’s the last minute of the game. You defend with everything you have got. Put your body on the line. Take one for the team. It’s half-hearted. It drives me mad. We could end up with nothing this season.”
We understand McAteer’s frustration, but the initial problem stemmed from us not marking up at the back post – something that is the absolute basics for any team when defending.
We urgently need to find some form before the season becomes a write off.
Although we’re out of both cup competitions and ten points outside the top four, we do have a Champions League tie with Real Madrid to look forward to, with the first-leg just next month.
Hopefully the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Bobby Firmino and Diogo Jota will have returned to fitness by then to give Klopp’s side a much-needed boost.
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