“I’ve only just noticed…” – Jamie Carragher calls out Liverpool player over one Man City goal

Jamie Carragher was critical of one Liverpool player over his involvement in one of the three goals that Manchester City scored on Sunday.

Although there’s no disputing that the home side were full value for their 3-0 win, the Reds had no luck whatsoever in many of the game’s key moments, with the two first-half goals both owing plenty to deflections and Virgil van Dijk having what would’ve been an equaliser criminally disallowed.

Giorgi Mamardashvili had saved a (harshly awarded) penalty from Erling Haaland in the first few minutes, but there was nothing the goalkeeper could do about the Norwegian’s header to open the scoring just before the half-hour mark.

Carragher criticises Konate over Haaland goal

Speaking on Sky Sports‘ Extra Time, Carragher called out Ibrahima Konate for being beaten in the air by the Man City number 9, with the ball skimming off the Frenchman’s head and diverting it kindly into the path of the 25-year-old marksman.

The pundit said: “It’s a little bit of luck for Man City, because Haaland doesn’t know too much about it, but what I don’t understand is Konate.

“I tell you what, and I’ve only just noticed this, look at Haaland’s jump compared to Konate. He’s done this thing where he’s trying to flick the ball on. Now, when I’m a defender and I flick the ball on, that’s the last resort.

“If I’m jumping at my highest point and if I can’t head it away, I’m trying to flick it on; but [Konate] is not even off the ground and he’s trying to flick it on. Go and get up as high as you can – look at Haaland – and head that ball away!

“I don’t understand at all what Konate is trying to do. There’s been no real impact from Haaland and [Konate] is trying to flick it on. Haaland gets a little bit of luck but maybe he deserves that luck the season he’s had. He’s been absolutely fantastic.”

Konate under the microscope once again

Similar to how Nico Gonzalez’s shot took a wicked deflection off Van Dijk for Man City’s second goal yesterday, the first two Man City goals came about from a combination of good fortune for them and questionable decision-making on Liverpool’s part.

Haaland got a significant slice of luck by the ball skimming off Konate’s head, but as Carragher pointed out, the Norwegian was much more proactive in getting off the ground to try and win the header than the Reds’ number 5, who ideally should be winning that duel.

The Frenchman has been subjected to some fierce criticism this season, and although he looked vastly improved in the wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, yesterday was definitely not one of his better outings of the campaign so far.

Aside from the opening goal, the 26-year-old’s positioning for the early penalty incident was frightening, and while Mamardashvili bailed him out that time by saving the spot kick, the defender was punished by Haaland later in the first half.

If Liverpool are to revive their inconsistent campaign after the international break, they’ll need to learn from the mistakes which have hurt them throughout the autumn and arrest the alarming rate at which they’re conceding goals (17 already in the Premier League with less than a third of the season played).

You can watch Slot’s full post-Man City press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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