Roy Keane issued a typically withering appraisal of Liverpool’s performance against Manchester City on Sunday evening.
It’s been a case of whatever could go wrong for the Reds duly going wrong at the Etihad Stadium, with controversial decisions over a penalty and a disallowed goal being given in the home side’s favour, and their two first-half goals owing significantly to deflections.
However, with Jeremy Doku adding an outrageous third for Pep Guardiola’s team in the 63rd minute, there’s no escaping the truth that the visitors have been distinctly second best today.
Keane rips into ‘dreadful’ Liverpool
Speaking on punditry for Sky Sports at half-time, Keane didn’t beat about the bush when giving his verdict on what he’d seen from Liverpool.
The ex-Manchester United captain said: “Not good signs for Liverpool when you consider that they’re champions. Not stopping crosses, not pressing, not doing the basics right. Liverpool have been dreadful.”
Liverpool out of luck but also outclassed
Arne Slot will be rightly raging at the key first-half decisions which went against the Reds, in particular Virgil van Dijk’s goal which was harshly disallowed for perceived interference by Andy Robertson in an offside position.
However, the Reds have been nowhere near good enough overall, looking worryingly leggy despite not playing for five days and losing out on far too many duels. Doku in particular has been impossible to handle for the champions’ defence.
Even though the penalty decision seemed harsh, the passage of play which led to it was alarming, with Ibrahima Konate way too impetuous in running towards the Belgian but getting absolutely nowhere near him.
Liverpool had chances of their own in the second half but couldn’t take them, with Cody Gakpo culpable of a close-range miss just after coming off the bench. On days like today, those simply have to go in.
Keane’s verdict won’t make for pleasant hearing for Reds supporters, but in this instance the pundit wasn’t over the top with his half-time comments on the Premier League champions.
City were the better side. Somehow the Liverpool that beat real Madrid did not arrive at the Etihad. Another regroup and we go again after the international break.
Took the words…
Our performance got the result it deserved.
Concerning that despite our RB’s brilliance vs. Vjr. in midweek, he was left exposed time and again by Doku, but no need for any cold criticism whilst it’s still sore.
We know he’s capable of better.
Also, getting some luck with a goal in this game would’ve given the league table a slightly easier look over the international break.
Perhaps some adjustment is necessary with five league losses before Christmas ?
Maybe it’s starting to look like top 4 is the achievable aim this season ?
We take it a game at a time.
Manchester city didn’t play that well and they didn’t need to, they are nowhere near what they were a few years ago, and you definitely say that about this Liverpool team, a shadow of the klopp team that won the league in 2020. That team could defend, it had a spine. Manchester city won the game through one player, Jeremy Doku. Bradley was isolated not much help from Salah and when you play away from home you can’t afford to carry passengers. Salah and wirtz offer very Little without the ball, they are in the team to score or create. You have to question the team selection and where was the game management from slot. Nothing was done as Doku kept ripping us apart on the wing, where is plan b? . Even Bournemouth put up more of a fight against city than we did. Transition? No it’s decline. The question now is will this manager get champions league football next season, the away from says no. Can slot win trophies with his team, not klopps. Again you can’t see it. When any big club spends 450 million and goes backwards it’s the manager who carries the can. Slot is heading for the sack.