Ex-Liverpool man gives damning assessment of six players

Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has picked out six players for criticism after their 0-0 draw on the road at Manchester United.

A goalless draw at Old Trafford, their third stalemate in four Premier League matches, was enough to take them back to the top of the table, one point ahead of Manchester City.

Many critics viewed the match against United as two points dropped after the hosts were forced into three first-half substitutions.

And Nicol, who won a European Cup and four league titles during his time at Anfield, thinks Liverpool should be worried about their lack of goals.

“Unfortunately going forward the front three are firing blanks,” Nicol said on ESPN FC.

“I can’t remember them ever being, the three of them, so poor at the same time.

“[Mo] Salah’s had spells when he didn’t score at the start of the year and [Roberto] Firmino sometimes hasn’t knitted it together as well.

“But every single thing is going wrong for the three of them now, including [Sadio] Mane.

“The front three have got to find form. If you’re not scoring goals, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing against.

“There’s no goals coming from the middle of the park. Fabinho, as great a job as he does, is not going to score you goals, [Jordan] Henderson’s not going to score you goals, [Gini] Wijnaldum may get you the odd goal. It’s basically the front three.

“If they’re not scoring, which right now the three of them are out of form, it’s going to be a little worrying.

“It’s so hit and miss [with Salah] right now. Unfortunately the guy on the other side, Mane, is a little bit the same as well.

“Right now you see [Manchester] City winning more games than Liverpool.”