Rio Ferdinand noticed that Liverpool defender Joel Matip looked bewildered by Rhys Williams’s positioning when Atalanta scored their second goal, as per his comments to BT Sport.
The Reds went down 2-0 in the Champions League last night, after Jurgen Klopp named a much changed line-up.
Williams has proven his ability in Europe this season, but the youngster had a difficult time last night.
Williams was partly at fault for the second goal that Liverpool conceded, as he was far too eager to win possession back for his side.
And Ferdinand said to BT Sport, during their live Champions League coverage: “In these games there is moments which decide the game. A lot of it is to do with concentration.
“We can see here it’s the concentration of the young centre-back Williams.
“He comes out to engage with the striker but he goes beyond him and forgets about the next phase. There’s a player next to him, he can leave that, he has to stay with his man.
“Matip looks round as if to say ‘where are you?’. And that’s experience, that chasing the ball and trying to affect a situation that you can’t at all.
“Sometimes it’s about taking a man and remaining calm.”
Williams will, of course, learn from the error and it is understandable that he is not the finished article yet.
The Liverpool prospect was playing non-league football just over a year ago, so there is no shame in him making a slight error against one of the most dangerous attacking sides in Europe.
Liverpool’s defeat does make their task of qualifying from their group slightly tougher, though.
The Reds will need one more victory in their final two fixtures now to secure their progress.
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