Former Premier League winner Martin Keown wonders if Jurgen Klopp made a mistake starting both Harvey Elliot and Stefan Bajcetic during Liverpool’s shock loss at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, speaking to talkSPORT (13 March, 11.30am).
Highly talented they may be, both Elliott (19 years old) and Bajcetic (18) are still far from the finished article.
And, away from home against a side battling against the drop and fighting tooth and nail for every single available point, Keown believes that what Liverpool really needed was a bit of nous. The sort of experience that would have been provided by the likes of James Milner and Jordan Henderson, who started on the bench at the Vitality Stadium.
“You look at the two young kinds playing alongside Fabinho. When you go away, you have to be aware of what you’re walking into,” says Keown, the former Arsenal defender.
“They never seemed to get into the game. I don’t think Klopp knows what he’s going to get from this group.
“With young players, there is a learning curve. I remember from my career turning up and being really surprised by the atmosphere at certain stadiums. I think there is a bit of that with this group. But there should be enough experience to win at any stadium with what they’ve got.”
Liverpool suffer shock 1-0 loss at AFC Bournemouth
On a day in which many of Liverpool’s more senior stars failed to fire, Virgil van Dijk came in for serious criticism in the build up to Bournemouth’s winner. Dango Ouattara breezed down the wing before pulling back to an unmarked Philip Billing.
Mo Salah, meanwhile, blazed a late penalty high and wide. A stark contrast from his finest performance of the campaign against Manchester United six days earlier.
“The goal they conceded is unbelievable really,” Keown adds. “Van Dijk not sprinting back, slow to react. They should take charge of the games immediately. And the front three (Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez) didn’t click where they were absolutely unbelievable against Man United.”
Liverpool are now sixth; their Champions League ambitions taking a dent on the South Coast.
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