Jamie Carragher expressed sheer disbelief at a particular moment during Liverpool’s disappointingly subdued defeat to Everton tonight.
Jurgen Klopp must have been equally stunned by the lack of physicality displayed by his players in their challenges, especially considering the significance of the match. This game marked Klopp’s final opportunity to secure a victory over Everton as manager and was crucial in their pursuit of a league title.
It’s possible that Liverpool have now relinquished that chance, unless some remarkable upsets occur in the future.
In the end, Klopp’s team couldn’t match their defensive prowess against their title rivals; they were too vulnerable at times.
Virgil van Dijk appeared to be striving to instill a shift in mentality, attempting to spark a comeback, but it never materialized.
However, Jamie Carragher observed the match from the Sky Sports studio, and when analyzing Jarrad Branthwaite’s opening goal for Everton, he was perplexed by the defensive lapses he witnessed.
Jamie Carragher astonished by Ibrahima Konate’s defensive performance
At half-time, Carragher extensively criticized Liverpool’s performance in aerial battles, expressing a sense that a goal was inevitable.
The pundit was especially taken aback by Ibrahima Konate’s involvement in the first goal, noting the lack of conviction from the £35m-defender when challenging for the ball.
Reflecting on Branthwaite’s opener, he said: “They look like scoring on every single one [set piece]. The amount of times Liverpool have given fouls away in their own half.
“Konate here, I mean what is he doing? He doesn’t know where he is, just sticks a leg out at it but Everton definitely deserve to go in front.
“They deserved to get a goal from a set-piece. The naivety of Liverpool in terms of how you play a derby game.”
Undoubtedly, tonight marked a deeply disheartening exit for Liverpool from the title race, if indeed that is the case.
While it’s not mathematically confirmed, the demeanor of the Liverpool players on the bench suggested a sense of defeat by the end of the game.
Naturally, as emotions settle, attention will inevitably turn towards next season and the prospects it holds.
That being said, Liverpool title hopes hits a stumbling block: Mo Salah a shadow of himself and Other Player Ratings Vs Everton