Michael Owen believes three Liverpool players could’ve and should’ve done more to prevent Philip Billing’s goal for Bournemouth yesterday.
The Danish international netted the only goal of the game at the Vitality Stadium as Jurgen Klopp’s side conceded their first goal in six Premier League games and missed the opportunity to temporarily enter the top four.
Virgil van Dijk has been criticised for the role he played in the goal with him appearing to give up but ex-Red Owen also questioned the actions of two other Liverpool stars.
“Virgil van Dijk ends up going in where you think he shouldn’t,” Owen told Premier League Productions (via HITC). “But then Konate can see the whole picture. Van Dijk has gone in with his man.
“I think it’s a 50-50, I think Konate tries to play offside when he can see everything in front of him and he needs to be sprinting back, as it is, van Dijk gets back in, then Billing and Alexander-Arnold at the back post.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold ends up coming to the back post, totally losing his man, and then it’s a simple finish in the end. I think Konate can do better (to stop the cross). But Trent completely loses his man. It’s a rubbish goal to give away.”
It was just a lacklustre performance on the south coast and the way Billing was allowed to wonder into our box and score one of the easiest goals he’ll ever score was hugely concerning.
Once Mo Salah missed his spot kick with 20 minutes remaining it was clear that it wasn’t going to be our day.
We’ve actually looked solid defensively in recent weeks and before yesterday’s clash with the Cherries had kept five consecutive clean sheets.
The results leave us six points behind Spurs with a game in hand and up next is a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City on April 1.