‘I’d take Van Dijk’s place now!’ – Liverpool legend Carragher turns on failing team

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 22 Feb 2023 09:19 GMT
• 3 min read

Liverpool’s 5-2 Champions League loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday has led club legend Jamie Carragher to take a swing at the current state of affairs at Anfield.

The Reds are enduring a nightmare season and their weaknesses were brutally exposed by Los Blancos, who rallied from 2-0 down to take a comfortable lead back to the Bernabeu in mid-March.

It was another chastening night defensively for the Anfield club, and Carragher has brutally reminded Virgil van Dijk of comments that he made just a couple of months ago.

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“Virgil van Dijk said I wouldn’t get in that back four two months ago – I think I’d take his place at the moment!” Carragher told CBS Sport.

“Joe Gomez tonight – maybe I shouldn’t kick someone when they’re down – but we keep talking about midfielder players Liverpool need, and that’s right, but I think Liverpool need defenders as well because when they get exposed, they can’t defend.”

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Carragher: Liverpool an absolute shambles

Although these two players were pinpointed by Carragher, he pointed out that the issues the manager Jurgen Klopp faces run much deeper.

“Liverpool all season have been an absolute shambles defensively. This team had a great defensive record this season but we know the midfield doesn’t have the energy any more, the attacking players in the front three don’t have the cohesion that was there before,” he said.

“This Liverpool defence now, who we’ve been told have some of the best defensive players in the world, can’t cope. For years, they’ve had a front six in front of them who worked harder and smarter than any team in world football. Now that’s gone, it’s complete fell apart.

“What I would say is that as a Liverpool fan, we adore this manager and team, who have done so much for the club in the last four or five years, we hate to say anything negative because they’ve done so much. But they’re eighth in the Premier League, they’ve just been battered 5-2. I know it’s Real Madrid, but these are the two teams that were in the final last season. It’s not acceptable what we’re watching this season.

“We keep looking for reasons and excuses but it’s nowhere near good enough.”

Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday for their next match.