Gary Neville issued a scathing critique of Milos Kerkez and suggested the defender ‘looked like a baby’ in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.
Estevao’s injury-time winner secured a deserved home victory for Enzo Maresca’s side, who have now won back-to-back games against Liverpool for the first time since 2014.
But the result was also a bitter pill to swallow for the defending Premier League, who have now lost their third straight game for the first time under Arne Slot.
It proved another out-of-sorts display from the Reds, who appear to be struggling to find the same rhythm from last season after a busy summer of recruitment.
Alexander Isak is yet to get off the mark in the league, while much has been made of the lack of impact seen from Florian Wirtz, who started Sunday’s game on the bench.
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But Neville insisted it is the performances of Kerkez, who joined in a £40million move from Bournemouth in the summer, that have most concerned him so far this season.
And the former Manchester United full-back pulled no punches when analysing the Hungarian international’s latest display, which saw him brought off early in the second half to be replaced by Andy Robertson.
Metro at the Match: Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Metro at the Match returns to bring you all the analysis from the biggest games of the season.
Here are our team’s key takeaways from Chelsea’s dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Kerkez and Konate at the root of Liverpool woes
Liverpool’s ability to move the ball out from the back has understandably taken a hit with Trent Alexander-Arnold no longer on the scene. But the drop-off is becoming a real worry.
Trent’s replacement Jeremie Frimpong didn’t even get on the pitch Saturday night. Over on the left, Milos Kerkez is not proving to be the oven-ready replacement for Andy Robertson many thought he would be, run ragged in transitional moments and failing to offer a threat going forward.
Criticism around Konate has been growing and Arne Slot’s decision to hook him 10 minutes into the second-half and move Ryan Gravenberch back into defence told its own story. Liverpool may have to replace the France international at the end of the season and right now, that is not looking like a bad idea.
Tony Mogan, assistant sports editor
Moises Caicedo the difference-maker once again
A third goal in seven league games proves Moises Caicedo is far more than just a holding midfielder.
The Ecuadorian has an eye for the spectacular and proved that once again, but he also dominated the midfield battle throughout the ninety.
Ben Fleming, sports reporter
Liverpool have surrendered momentum to Arsenal
Yes, yes, it is early days. But there is mounting evidence to suggest this Liverpool side, now trailing Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, will not be defending their crown this season.
Three defeats on the bounce have highlighted issues that already look extremely worrying. Aside from the catalogue of concerns in defence, Mohamed Salah’s waning influence is becoming a common theme. Debatable assist aside, Alexander Isak was largely anonymous on his second league start.
Arsenal’s win over West Ham earlier in their day moved them top and with the Gunners strengthening across the board in the summer, there are no real weaknesses in the squad. Momentum has shifted towards north London for now.
Tony Mogan, assistant sports editor
Joao Pedro quiet spell continues
After a fast start, it has proved a quieter few weeks for Joao Pedro at the top of the pitch.
The Brazilian has no goals in his last six games and has had just two shots on goal in his last 450 minutes. Enzo Maresca certainly needs his striker to find his shooting boots again.
Ben Fleming, sports reporter
Injuries continue to mount for Enzo Maresca
Three points but another two injuries for Chelsea after Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile were forced off in the second half.
Time will tell as to how serious they are, but Maresca could return from the international break with ten players on the treatment table. The Italian has not looked to blame the Club World Cup, but Chelsea’s shortened pre-season is surely causing issues already.
Ben Fleming, sports reporter
‘The boy Kerkez, to be honest with you, at this point in time, he looks like a youth-team player,’ he said on The Gary Neville Podcast.
‘I know he’s a good player, but he looks like he’s playing for the youth team, or the Under-21s. He looks so naive; he looks like a baby out there. He’s losing 50-50s with Neto!
‘He’s had Premier League experience, it’s not like he’s come in from another country. He’s got a lot of games under his belt, he’s played at these grounds before, so I expected him to slot in.
‘One, he’s playing alongside Virgil Van Dijk, the best centre half in the world, so if you want to play in a back four, you want to play with great defenders and he is doing.
‘And he’s got players who work hard on that side, it’s not like he’s playing on the right with Salah in front of him, which is always a bit more difficult because you always get a little bit more exposed.
‘But I have to say from the first ten minutes of that game against Bournemouth on the first game of the season, he’s struggled.’
Neville, though, believes Liverpool’s problems at full-back go beyond just Kerkez, adding: ‘Frimpong looks like he should be playign as a right winger, he doesn’t perform like a right-back.
‘Conor Bradley just isn’t doing it and Andy Robertson is battling but he’s not quite where he was a few years ago.
‘Liverpool’s problems are as much to do with full-back as anywhere. They need to button that down.’
Asked about his decision to bring Kerkez off in the second half, Slot said he was looking to protect the left-back after a tiring spell that had seen him play three times in the last seven days.
‘Milos was more and more tired – he played 90 minutes in two games and now for the third game in a week, which he’s not used to when he played at Bournemouth’ Slot told Sky Sports.
‘You could feel and see it got more and more difficult to keep going and their wingers are a threat so we decided to make a change over there.’
On Bradley’s withdrawal, he added: ‘Most of the times I have to change the fullbacks after being on yellow. Today Conor Bradley was on a yellow card.
‘He made a second foul and players were asking for a yellow again, so you wonder if it’s smart to keep him on the pitch. We decided not to and we needed Florian to come into the game.’
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