Gary Neville told Sky Sports during their live coverage of Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester City on Sunday that Fabinho’s challenge on Raheem Sterling in the first half was like he was on the ‘training ground’.
Liverpool felt they perhaps got away with one when Fabinho’s clumsy challenge on Sterling inside the penalty area resulted in Ilkay Gundogan blazing his effort over the bar.
But it did go from bad to worse for Liverpool as the second half wore on, with Alisson Becker then making two out-of-character mistakes.
Nonetheless, this is what Neville had to say about Fabinho giving away a penalty yesterday:
“I wasn’t sure, to be honest, whether it was a penalty,” said Neville. “It’s that trailing leg. It’s that back leg.
“Does he stick he out on purpose? He does, he does!
“It’s a silly one from Fabinho. He’s experienced. He’s done well at centre-back but that’s not going to be overturned. It was a training ground challenge from Fabinho.”
These are worrying times for Liverpool because, after going 68 Premier League games unbeaten at Anfield, they have now lost three on the bounce.
Some are even questioning whether they are in a top-four battle rather than a title race, which just goes to show how much they have struggled.
A lack of balance throughout the side has played its part and it will be interesting to see if Jurgen Klopp picks one of his new two centre-back signings for their forthcoming games.
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