Several pundits all believe Liverpool had the same excuse for not beating Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Former Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi got the only goal of the game that saw Forest win, with Jurgen Klopp after the match blaming his own players for failing to score several free chances they were gifted from set-pieces. For a number of pundits, though, the problems run deeper than that.
Gary Lineker and Jamie Carragher are among a number of pundits who, while rightly praising Forest for their performance, also told Liverpool that they failed to win the game because of injuries. Below is a look at what some have had to say.
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Gabby Agbonlahor: “Liverpool have got a lot of problems. Roberto Firmino is inconsistent, Mohamed Salah was poor today, and Joe Gomez, he has two decent games and everyone is saying he can go to the World Cup, but today he was awful again. So sloppy.”
Jamie O'Hara: “I know they picked up injuries, I get that. But this is a team who were competing with Man City for three or four seasons, and now I’m looking and thinking you pick up a few injuries and your team looks like a Championship side."
Gary Lineker: "That’s a spectacular result for Forest. Liverpool’s slight lack of depth in their squad proving problematical at present."
Jamie Carragher: "Steve Cooper has changed Forest in the last few weeks to be a lot harder to beat, tactically very good again today. Liverpool were awful, what is going on with Fabinho. Konate is needed back ASAP!"
Danny Murphy: “Once you take Thiago and Trent out of that XI, you don’t have anyone with that courage to keep looking up and split a packed defence.
‘Trent played midweek so maybe he [Klopp] didn’t want to risk him, but I think there is an argument to suggest strengthening the midfield.
“Klopp had no choice but to play the kids [Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones], and there was bad luck with the forwards being injured as well.”
Do you think Forest can repeat the trick against Arsenal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section...
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