Carragher explains where Liverpool went wrong

Matt Stead

Jamie Carragher believes it was “no surprise” that Liverpool threw away a lead to lose against Bournemouth.

The Reds twice squandered two-goal leads to be pegged back by hosts Bournemouth on Sunday, before Nathan Ake scored a last-minute winner.

Sadio Mane and Divock Origi had given them a 2-0 lead, before Emre Can made it 3-1 following a Callum Wilson penalty.

But Liverpool imploded and conceded three goals in the final 14 minutes to lose their first game since August.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, former Reds defender Carragher attempted to explain the result.

“Liverpool have been involved in this a lot. It was no surprise,” he said. “Don’t forget Arsenal earlier this season, Norwich last season, the panic sets in.

“This has been a common theme for the last two to three years. You have to look at the personnel and also the two managers.

“There’s 15 minutes to go but they don’t change or make a defensive substitution. Just alter the way you play.”

Carragher was heavily critical of goalkeeper Loris Karius after the game, and the pundit offered more thoughts on the summer signing.

“Liverpool have not got a poor defence, and they are not poor defensively,” he said. “If you’ve got a poor defence, your goalkeeper gets worked a lot.

“The fact Karius has not made many saves tells me Liverpool have not got a poor defence because the ‘keeper has not had to face anything, he has not had to do anything.

“The reason why we were critical of Karius after the Bournemouth game is because you cannot expect your defence to press constantly for 90 minutes, there will be games where people make mistakes.

“There have been two games where he has had questions asked of him; Swansea, where he struggled and was lucky, and Bournemouth, where he did not have the luck, the ball bounced out and he conceded.

“That is why we are critical because he was asked questions and he failed to answer them.

“Having said that, it’s still early days for his Liverpool career, we are not saying he’s finished by any stretch of the imagination. However, over the next 12 to 18 months he has got to improve.”