‘It was great to see’ – John Aldridge critical of ‘gifted’ Spurs player after Liverpool thriller

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John Aldridge has said ‘it was great to see’ Richarlison’s goal against Liverpool on Sunday ultimately count for nothing.

The Tottenham forward thought he had salvaged a stoppage time point for his team, who were 3-0 down inside the first 15 minutes, only for Diogo Jota to swiftly slot home the winning goal in front of the Kop in a pulsating finish to the game.

In his latest column for the Liverpool Echo, the former Reds striker took great pleasure in seeing the Brazilian’s joy being short-lived.

Aldridge wrote: “It was great to see Richarlison’s big moment at Anfield spoiled, having thought he was the hero for Tottenham.

“He is not a player anyone can take to because of his antics: he’s always going to ground, he is never smiling and is constantly winding people up. He is gifted as a player, but the way in which he conducts himself on the pitch means he is not someone you would want on your team.

“You could sense he was going to score when he came on, but we had the last laugh. You can’t blame Richarlison for the celebration, that’s part and parcel of football, but his big moment was taken away from him by Jota. That’s what made the win more enjoyable.

“For all the Everton fans who were celebrating his goal online, I think they have got other things to be thinking about at this moment in time.”

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Richarlison can do great things in a game, as he evidenced with that stunning overhead kick for Brazil in the World Cup last year, but all too often his ego and antics aren’t justified by his productivity on the pitch.

His goal at Anfield was his first in the Premier League all season (Transfermarkt), a pitiful return for someone who cost £60m (The Guardian) from an Everton team who were nearly relegated last year.

It’s no wonder Aldridge felt a sense of schadenfreude about the 25-year-old, who’s publicly revelled in Liverpool’s misfortune in the past. His idiotic tweeting after the 2022 Champions League final comes to mind (Daily Express).

As for his celebrations on Sunday, jubilantly whipping off his shirt is fine (we certainly had no complaints about Mo Salah doing that against Man United!), but once he indulged in that cringeworthy pigeon dance, he had what was coming to him.

Jota’s last-gasp goal not only salvaged three points for the Reds, but also clipped the wings of that £60m wind-up merchant on the other team. Great to see, indeed.

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