Michael Owen was critical of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip for being ‘really shaky’ during Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The former England striker highlighted the duo’s problem when defending and how Palace were having all of their joy down that right-hand side.
From Alexander-Arnold’s near-costly backpass to Matip failing to control a ball near his own penalty area, another disasterclass was about to be cooked up by Jurgen Klopp’s men.
And whilst this was yet more dropped points for the Reds, somehow, from somewhere, they managed to secure the clean sheet and a valuable point.
In the grand scheme of things, this result should be looked at as a positive given what happened against Real Madrid in midweek and the confidence-drained performance at Selhurst Park.
Owen spoke about the ‘shaky’ nature of Liverpool’s defence and how it nearly cost his former side against Patrick Vieiria’s goal-shy Palace, as he told Premier League Productions (25/02/23 at 8:40 pm).
“I thought Liverpool have looked shaky, on the right side of the defence,” said Owen. “At right-back, with Trent Alexander-Arnold. Matip, at right centre-half, looked really shaky.
“Trent was actually caught out of position (when Mateta hit the crossbar). But he has to be stronger. A lot of the Crystal Palace chances came from that side.
“He is initially in a left-back position. Andy Robertson is shouting ‘shall we swap?’. You don’t have time to get across, then all of a sudden, it’s Matip who has to fill in as a right-back, then Trent Alexander-Arnold comes and runs in as the right-sided centre-back.
“But he ends up in the right-back position anyway (when Trent was dispossessed). And there was a little confusion.”
LIVERPOOL SUFFERING
Despite all this doom and gloom, Liverpool are only nine points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, and with two games in hand, added with Antonio Conte’s men visiting Anfield in April.
Just somehow, if this morale-sapped and energy-less Liverpool side can get over that top four line, then somehow, they would have managed to have salvaged a quite abject season.
Tottenham’s ability to win one week, then get smoked the next keeps that door open. Added to that, Newcastle’s form is slipping and their recent EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester United isn’t going to help matters.
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