Cook says Bournemouth ‘targeted’ Reds keeper Karius

Joe Williams

Bournemouth defender Steve Cook has revealed that it was part of their game plan to “target” Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius as a possible weakness.

The Reds were left stunned at Dean Court on Sunday when Bournemouth recovered from 3-1 down to snatch a dramatic 4-3 Premier League victory.

Some observers believe Karius should have done better to prevent the second and fourth goals of the Cherries’ comeback, and Cook admits the hosts saw the 23-year-old goalkeeper as a possible avenue to exploit Liverpool.

Cook told Talksport: “I’ve got to be honest we did, we felt that he was under a lot of pressure, obviously playing for Liverpool you’ve got to be a very strong character.

“But we did target him, we tried to press him as much and get as many shots off as possible.

“We did target him as a weakness in the Liverpool side.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp refused to criticise his summer recruit, despite Karius’s less-than-impressive start to life at Anfield.

“No concern, no problem. If you make mistakes you get criticised. That’s what happens in life,” Klopp told Sky Sports.

“The last goal was not easy for a goalkeeper. It says nothing about him as a goalkeeper. It happens.”