Liverpool started the game poorly during Wednesday night’s Merseyside Derby against Everton.
The Reds were hopeful of going back level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, but only a win at Goodison Park would do that.
From that point of view, it couldn’t have been a worse start for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Having seen an early penalty given away by Alisson Becker overturned by VAR, they had already had a wake-up call. But Liverpool didn’t heed it.
The warning signs were there pretty much right from the off. Everton won free-kick after free-kick in dangerous areas and continually dominated in the air in the Reds’ penalty box.
And after Jarrad Branthwaite put the Toffees ahead from such a situation, Klopp couldn’t hide his frustration at two of his players.
Jurgen Klopp berates Liverpool centre-backs
There were more than two culprits for Liverpool’s failure to deal with Everton’s aerial dominance in the early stages of the game.
But the finger could largely be pointed at centre-back duo Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Neither could get the better of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in particular.
And after the goal had gone in, Gary Neville, on commentary for Sky Sports, spotted Klopp berating the two players at the heart of his defence.
“He was having a go at the two centre-backs there, Jurgen Klopp,” Neville spotted.
“I am not surprised. Van Dijk and Konate need to get a grip on this game.”
How did everyone else play vs Everton
As well as Van Dijk and Konate, a number of other Liverpool players failed to really turn up at Goodison.
Alisson was incredibly lucky to see a error fail to go unpunished after taking down Calvert-Lewin the penalty area. Hesitating uncharacteristically with the striker bearing down, Alisson dived into Calvert-Lewin without getting anything of the ball.
And with the three players behind him struggling, Alexis Mac Allister was also poor on Wednesday night.
The Argentine has been superb for most of the season, but he’s not a No.6. Too slow on the ball and too quick to dive into the tackle, Mac Allister put in one of his worst displays in a Liverpool shirt.
It wasn’t all bad for the Reds, though. Luis Diaz continued his recent resurgence with another all-action display, while Dominik Szoboszlai was better than he has been as well.
