Liverpool legend warns Klopp about Reds ‘liability’ and makes summer transfer claim

John Aldridge thinks Naby Keita is becoming a “liability” for Liverpool after the Reds were held to a goalless draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Reds failed to build on their back-to-back Premier League victories over Everton and Newcastle United with Palace providing stern opposition at Selhurst Park.

Liverpool were thrashed 5-2 in midweek by Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie and Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to get into gear in a 0-0 draw in south London.

Diogo Jota hit the woodwork in the first half and Mo Salah rattled the crossbar in the second half but Liverpool remain in seventh, six points off fourth-placed Tottenham.

Keita, who is out of contract at the end of the season, was substituted by Klopp at half-time, after picking up a booking in a poor performance, and Aldridge called on the Liverpool boss to make the substitution earlier.

Aldridge wrote on Twitter: “Jurgen has to take Keita off asap folks he’s a liability! Does nothing for the team and he’s doing himself no good for his move away in the summer.”

Klopp was satisfied to get a point at Crystal Palace but felt his side could’ve “done better” with a number of situations.

The Liverpool boss said: “[A] good point, if you want, main difference to all other games we played here over the years, I know the record is insane, but the games were like tonight [but] the main difference [was] that we scored. We didn’t score tonight.

“The last few games I remember we scored here I think early, not early, but scored with a set-piece. Joel [Matip] or Virgil [Van Dijk] or whatever and the second was probably a counter-attack. [In the] last 10 minutes anyway [you are] always under pressure.

“[The] stadium is there… and that’s the main difference, but the clean sheet is there anyway. Could we have done better? Yes. I think so.

“The first switch we played, the first diagonal from Trent [Alexander-Arnold] was mishit, goes out and from that moment on we didn’t play the ball anymore. Second half then again, but first half not. First ball in behind was mishit or [we] didn’t reach it – [we] didn’t play it in behind anymore.

“[Against a] compact formation, if you don’t threaten them in behind you play always in between the lines and some balls we miss, or gave away unforced and others they just won the challenge.

“From there you have to go and that’s the situation, but apart from when they hit the crossbar they had no shot on target, which is a good sign as well. Yeah, tough game, got a point, clean sheet – let’s carry on.”

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