Alan Shearer has taken aim at Liverpool's defence following their chastening 5-2 defeat at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Despite racing into a two-goal lead, the reigning European champions fought back with no reply from the Reds as Los Blancos inflicted an unwanted piece of history at Anfield. A double each for Vinicius Jr and Karim Benzema now leaves a mountain to climb for Jurgen Klopp's side ahead of their trip to the Spanish capital in three weeks.
The Premier League all-time leading goalscorer has pinpointed Liverpool's structure with Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho coming under the crosshairs following the collapse.
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"Because they were hopeless at the back," he said reflecting on what went wrong at Anfield on Tuesday to BBC 5Live. "I was concerned before the game when I said to you about the Newcastle game, was it that they were 2-0 up against 10 men, they just switched off and they were looking forward to this game because Newcastle did create a lot of chances against them particularly from set-pieces.
"Now as it turns out, it wasn't, it was because they're not very good at the back. They don't have the protection that they used to have and when you allow a defender who has come up from a set-piece, a free header from five yards out with no one near him so soon after half-time, when your goalkeeper makes a mistake as he did, when Gomez doesn't get tight to Vinicius Jr for the first goal," he added.
"All these add up, you can't do that against any player never mind world-class players in this fantastic Real Madrid team. When you're playing at the elite level, highest level, when you make mistakes you get punished. That's exactly what's happened tonight.
"It's a bit of everything, when you've got a free-kick at the edge of the box you've got no protection then, you've got to defend properly, look out for your men, when Militao runs in and no ones near him then you can't blame the protection from the midfield for that."
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After a promising opening 15 minutes with Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah finding the back of the net, Carlo Ancelotti's side sprung into life. Liverpool struggled to penetrate through the visitors stern rearguard, which wasn't the case for Los Blancos as the Reds were carved open throughout the second period.
Shearer continued: "When Real Madrid are coming through you, yes they've got quality players but there's no protection then the defenders aren't quick enough on the turn, the defenders aren't picking up, it's all over the park you've got to look at.
"Even defensively, you know Trent's qualities of going forward, he's up against top, top opposition in Vinicius. When you look at that, that's a tough ask.
"You look along the back four in Gomez, he makes too many mistakes and Van Dijk, I'm not sure looks comfortable, when he's alongside him. You always felt you was going to get something, something was going to be given away when Gomez is in there. You're getting to Fabinho in the midfield, he can't get around the midfield as he used to, Henderson also - he's been unbelievable for Liverpool - then young Bajcetic, I think in reality he should be in and out of this Liverpool team.
"You look at him and think he's their best midfielder at this moment, getting the ball, threading that pass, for an 18-year-old it's a big ask for him to get in there against the superstars of that Real Madrid midfield. When we said before the game are Liverpool back? I don't think so, I wasn't quite sure what to expect tonight and that's the reason why."
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