Liverpool fans on Twitter provided a mixed reaction after Raheem Sterling labelled Joe Gomez’s mistake for England yesterday as ‘sloppy’, as he told Sky Sports Football (05/09/20 at 7:20 pm).
Gareth Southgate’s 10 men beat Iceland 1-0 in their UEFA Nations League opener, but there was penalty drama towards the end, which involved two of Liverpool and Manchester City’s star men.
Sterling was the first to step up when he comfortably slotted home from the spot in stoppage-time following a handball in the area.
But not long after, Gomez gave away a penalty, which was then missed horribly by former Aston Villa midfielder Birkir Bjarnason.
After the match, this is how Sterling assessed the situation, as he commented on Kyle Walker’s sending off and the manner in which they conceded the penalty right at the death.
“We didn’t expect the red card,” Sterling told Sky Sports. “But it happened and we kept on playing out football. We kept trying to create chances and kept contact then we got the penalty in the end.
“We shouldn’t have conceded that sloppy penalty in the end. But we got lucky in the end.”
Some Liverpool fans praised the winger for his comments by saying he was simply being honest in his post-match interview.
Whilst others weren’t surprised but felt it wasn’t necessary for him to call out his teammate in such a manner in public and noticed how he wasn’t critical of Walker for his daft second yellow.
There’s no doubt that Gomez has been lucky and was at fault for the manner in which he gave the penalty away, but it’s cleary upset a section of the Anfield faithful.
Gomez is perhaps England’s senior centre- back now given that Harry Maguire is currently not playing, but he is yet to cement his place in team like many other of his defensive-minded teammates.
Here is a selection of Liverpool fans reacting to Sterling’s comments:
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