JAMIE CARRAGHER SAYS he believes Manchester United have a better squad than Liverpool while adding that a lack of depth could harm the Reds’ title push.
Liverpool were held to a draw against West Ham on Monday, a result that leaves just three points between the Reds and Manchester City in second place.
The Citizens can actually temporarily return to the top of the table this week with a win over Everton on Wednesday.
Having drawn each of the club’s last two matches, the Reds’ lack of depth is beginning to show, Carragher says, as the former defender pointed out the club’s decision to loan Nathaniel Clyne and frustrating performances from the likes of Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.
I said yesterday Manchester United have a better squad than Liverpool. People may have thought it was a strange thing to say but I think we’re seeing little signs of it,” he said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“On the right-back situation, Klopp’s made a mistake letting Clyne go. I know there were a couple of injuries but you don’t need to let him go — keep him there.
“At the moment James Milner has played there twice now and watching him you can’t quite believe he played left back so well for so long. He looks like someone completely out of position.
“Keita, who he paid big money for, looked quiet and keeps losing the ball. Firmino doesn’t look himself. Salah we didn’t see anything from tonight.
“I think that’s a worry going forward, not in terms of this pressure in the lead, more that when there’s a few injuries in different positions it doesn’t look like that solid Liverpool side we’ve seen for the last few weeks.”
With City and Tottenham lurking, Liverpool aren’t quite as comfortable as they were just a few weeks ago, but Carragher says the title race is far form over as his former club prepares to take on Bournemouth on Saturday.
I think there were was a lot of frustration out there tonight. I think there were a lot of poor performances. I couldn’t believe how bad Liverpool were tonight, but I also think there needs to be a bit of perspective that Liverpool are still top of the league,” he said.
“If Liverpool go one or two points behind City and Tottenham, they’re still in the race for the league.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
He is right. Liverpools first 11 is probably stronger but uniteds squad is much deeper. The drop off in quality from Liverpools starting defence and attack to the bench is stark.
@robbie: Except DDG trounces both of them. ;)
@Gareth Keenan: think pool have the ‘stars’ in Salah, VVD, Robertson, Mane and Bobby. Just if they were to lose two of that list to injury (3 or more games) pool would struggle. If they lost VVD for long term they’d be screwed. While Utd bar DeGea most Utd players are interchangeable(Rashford moving into that category).
Think the distraction of the CL coming could be bad timing for Pool. They could do with less match’s not more.
@robbie: Robertson, mane , firmino. Wijnaldum and fabinho better than any of United midfielders bar pogba. Oh and which right full is better than TAA. Give your head a shake
@Cormac Flanagan: I wouldn’t rate Firmino and Manè ahead of Rashford or Martial in terms of quality, albeit they have benefited from being part of a better team this season.
No question about Van Dyke or Salah being better than anyone United currently have outside of De Gea.
@Sean: I agree, Rashford has a similar goal count to Firmino this season and more assists which is impressive given the circumstances or both teams this season.
Fabinho and wijnaldom better than martial or lingard? Stop will ya
@Peter Govan: the best 11 would be
1 ddg
2 taa
3 vvd
4 robertson
5 pogba
6 martial
7 lingard
8 mane
9 Rashford
10 Salah
11 firmino/Lukaku
Lukaku is off form but firmino hasn’t been great this season either.
@Cormac Flanagan: I disagree (though I’ll probably be proven wrong), I think the upcoming CL matches v Bayern could reignite our season. We won’t becoming up against stubborn opposition and to some extent we’ll be underdogs, it may help relieve some of the pressure and allows play decent ball again.
@Anthony: hope you never become a manager Anthony playing a formation like that
@Anthony: your team has five strikers and Pogba as a holding midfielder. A tab unbalanced I’d say..
@Gareth Keenan: ah lad here it was a line up to start a game. It the best 11 players that both teams provide. In my opinion that is
@Anthony: wasn’t*
Liverpool’s last few performances have not been great, while city look like they are over there bad patch, I think City will win title handy
@Philip McLoughlin: I fear your probably right. Its deflating as a Liverpool fan and if we can pick back into gear and show the form we previously had for first half of season Liverpool could do it. But with injuries mounting and lads playing out of position that is going to be hard.
@Seaniecp: I think the champions League is more realistic for pool. The home and away format suits how Liverpool play.
@Philip McLoughlin: Em, remind me of City’s 2nd to last result?
Spurs are in the same boat. They do not have a big enough squad. They’re lucky in a sense that Son is keeping them in it while Kane and Alli are out.
Dont care what this clown says after that time he spat in a childs face.
@David Clarke: why did open the article so?!
@Paul O’Keeffe: To remind everyone that Carragher once spat in a childs face.
@David Clarke: strange way to spend your time but fair enough I suppose!