Rafael van der Vaart has claimed Liverpool have a ‘mediocre’ team when key players don’t perform - adding that three Reds are ‘very normal’.
Van der Vaart’s former team, Ajax, travel to Anfield tonight to take on Liverpool in the second round of Champions League group stage fixtures. The Dutch outfit currently sit top of Group A after beating Rangers 4-0 last week, while the Reds endured a torrid start to the tournament, losing 4-1 at Napoli.
And those respective starts have mirrored domestic form, with Alfred Schreuder’s side top of the Eredivisie with six wins from six, while Jurgen Klopp’s men have won only two from the same number of games. And former Netherlands and Tottenham midfielder has labelled the Reds as ‘very mediocre’, singling out three players for criticism.
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“I think we have become a bit blinded,” van der Vaart told Dutch TV programme Rondo. “We suddenly think Jordan Henderson is a crazy player. That's just a very normal player. James Milner is also a very normal player. Joe Gomez is also a very normal player.
“Virgil van Dijk is top, the right back and left back are also good. But if things don't go well and those attackers don't have their day, then I think it's just a very mediocre team.”
But despite his indifference towards some of the Liverpool squad, Van der Vaart admitted he is still concerned about tonight’s clash, with danger-men Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah tipped to find joy against the two Ajax full-backs.
“The only thing I'm afraid of at Ajax is: if Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah do have their day, then we have a problem,” the Dutchman added.
“Then Ajax will never win. Certainly not at Anfield, I don't think Daley Blind and Devyne Rensch are good enough for that.”
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