Ex-Liverpool man blasts star for ‘simple basic mistake’ in Man Utd loss as Carragher bites at Ferdinand
Jason McAteer has hit out at Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez for making a “simple basic mistake” in the Reds’ 4-3 loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
Extra-time goals from Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo took the game away from Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp’s side had taken a one-goal lead on two occasions in the 120 minutes.
McAteer: That is a simple basic mistake
Arsenal legend Ian Wright criticised Liverpool striker Nunez in the build-up to Rashford’s goal to make it 3-3 and now McAteer has pulled him up too.
Nunez gave away possession in his own half when trying to come inside with Man Utd breaking away and scoring through the England international.
“If I am going into the dressing room, I am saying why are you there? (The left-back spot) and why is that the decision you made,” an annoyed McAteer on beIN Sports.
“To come inside, at that point of the game, and try to play a ball inside. Why are you doing that? You have got (Kostas) Tsimikas behind you. You can kill this game!
READ MORE: Mediawatch: Ten Hag dropped ‘tactical masterclasses’ but it’s Klopp who is ‘intoxicating’
“First of all, I don’t want you there. Secondly, that isn’t the decision in that part of the football pitch. You don’t make that decision. That is a simple basic mistake.”
Following the match, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher couldn’t resist having a bite at Rio Ferdinand’s post celebrating the Red Devils’ victory over the Merseysiders on Sunday.
Ferdinand posted an image of him celebrating a goal in a match against Liverpool in the Premier League in 2004, including a dejected image of Carragher, with a caption of: “[Sunglasses emoji] Wembley.”
And Carragher responded: “Relax [crying laughter emojis].
“Manchester City will beat you comfortably in the final & ETH [Erik ten Hag] will still be in charge next season.
“It’s not the win you think it is!!”
Liverpool boss Klopp, who stormed out of one interview with Viaplay after the match, thinks Man Utd deserved the victory but he doesn’t think the loss will have a negative impact on his players’ mentality.
On whether there will be a psychological impact because of the defeat to Man Utd, Klopp replied: No. Wow, you lose a quarter-final in the FA Cup and if there was a mental drain it would be really difficult if we have to deal with human beings like that.
“We’ve played football for ages and you lose games – if that always leads to a mental state or situation where you need help… it’s just a normal thing. We all fail on a daily basis, maybe without even recognising it – we just get along with it.
“Today, if you don’t give all then it’s not mentally [draining], but you have to react on it and the rest is [something] we are used to unfortunately since we were kids that from time to time we lose a football game.
“I got the question already before, what kind of reaction I expect now? Nothing, they go to their countries and I hope they come back and have nothing [injuries] and then we think about Brighton when they come back and we know who can play again and that will be tricky enough. In general, the team is in an outstanding situation in the moment.
“That we got through all of these different, difficult situations is absolutely exceptional. For today, we could have won the game and we would have deserved it, but we lost it and Man United deserved it as well. That’s the situation.”
Klopp: Internationals ‘not in my hands’
On whether the international break ‘comes at a good time’ for Liverpool, Klopp added: “I am not exactly sure when they play the first games. I think probably Thursday or Friday, something like that, so until then it should be fine. I think most of them have friendlies, Wataru I think has qualifiers.
“Can I make this decision for the managers? Most of them don’t speak the same language and I have no contact. They want them as well in the best possible shape in the summer, so most of them play either Copa or Euros.
“So, I hope they don’t have to play now two games [of] 90 minutes and stuff like this, that would be helpful, but it is not in my hands. Does it come in the right moment? If we were playing and the next game would be on Thursday or Friday I would be fine with that as well.
“It’s never cool when they are not around, I like it a lot when they are here and we can really give players a day off and just treatment and stuff like this. But it is not the first time like this, it is the last time like that [of his time at Liverpool]. Let’s just hope they come back in a good shape and then we go.”
