‘Schoolboy’: Pundit slams Man City star for 76th-min moment vs. Liverpool

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Garth Crooks has slammed Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo for his marking of Mohamed Salah as the Liverpool winger was allowed to spin past the fullback to score the winning goal in their Premier League clash.

Writing for BBC Sport, the pundit was critical of how the Portuguese international allowed the Liverpool superstar to beat him so easily on the turn after Salah was allowed to break free on goal in the 76th minute after a punt from Alisson Becker found the Egyptian international.

Salah’s goal against City proved to be the winner as Liverpool claimed a huge 1-0 result over their Premier League rivals in a contest that many would consider one of the best of the season so far. And for Cancelo, the defender’s error was very unusual for the former Juventus star.

Cancelo has once again been sensational for City this season, yet there’s no denying that the defender was skinned by Salah from a position where the 28-year-old was in the stronger position, with the single action putting Pep Guardiola four points off Arsenal in the standings.

Indeed, City will no doubt bounce back from this setback against their new Premier League rivals. Yet for Crooks, Cancelo’s defender was poor, to say the least, and the pundit was critical of why there weren’t any other defenders in the area to help the Portuguese international.

Crooks said: “It was schoolboy marking by Joao Cancelo that allowed Salah in on goal but you have to ask the question why weren’t Manuel Akanji or Ruben Dias marking the Egyptian? Once Salah was one-on-one with Ederson the game was over. A great game of football refereed brilliantly by Anthony Taylor.”

Salah’s winning goal has blown the title race wide open for City

Crooks is right to slam Cancelo and City’s defensive shape for Salah’s winning goal on Sunday, and now, the Premier League title race is wide open with Arsenal sitting comfortably at the top with the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea quietly going about their business in the background.

Whilst City remain the clear favourites to win the Premier League, Guardiola’s side won’t be in for the easy ride many were expecting the Manchester giants to have this season, and Liverpool’s win showed that the reigning champions can be beaten with the right strategy.