Steve McManaman has levelled criticism at Liverpool’s new £40 million signing Miloš Kerkez after Sunday’s Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace.
The Eagles shocked Arne Slot’s side on penalties after a 2-2 draw at full-time at Wembley, lifting the trophy for the first time in the club’s history.
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Milos Kerkez, who was brought from Bournemouth to Liverpool this summer, was clearly not in line with the defence and put Palace players in play when they won the penalty that led to the team’s first goal.
“Milos Kerkez put everyone in play”
Commenting on the 21-year-old left-back after the game, former Liverpool winger McManaman told TNT Sports:
“It was Kerkez who put everyone in play. Everyone went forward, while the left-back went backwards. That gave Palace the opportunity – and they took advantage of it repeatedly. They played balls into that area, especially in the second half, almost at random.”
McManaman added:
“I think the two goals today – without taking anything away from Crystal Palace – but if we talk about Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses, they were defensive mistakes. There are things to work on, and they will get better as they get used to playing together, as they are new players in a new system. But there is cause for concern because they are a bit vulnerable defensively.”
Kirkland asks club to bring in new defender
Chris Kirkland, another former Liverpool player, has urged his old club to bring in a new defender before the transfer window closes:
“We were exciting offensively, but a little weaker defensively,” Kirkland told the BBC.
“I would love to see another defender come in. We want [Newcastle striker Alexander] Isak, we’ve made bids for him and he wants to come to us. Normally when that is the case, an agreement is made. I want a centre-back and an attacking player – because in this world we are all greedy.”
Slot admits defensive challenges
Liverpool coach Arne Slot has also admitted that the team is conceding too many goals before the new Premier League season:
“We conceded two goals [today], which we also did against [Athletic Bilbao in the pre-season],” Slot told TNT Sports.
“We conceded a few more against AC Milan. It’s something we need to get better at. Last season it was about keeping a clean sheet and attacking as much as we could, and then creating a few chances. Now we manage to create more, but we are also conceding more goals at the moment. If you want to fight to win the league, one of the main things is not to let your opponent into chances, not to mention goals. I don’t think we conceded that many today, but enough to lose the game.”
Crystal Palace shock Liverpool on penalties
Crystal Palace won their first-ever Community Shield after a dramatic penalty shootout against Liverpool. The game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, before Palace kept their cool and secured the victory from the penalty spot.
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