22 February 2023 , 08:50
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Liverpool were brutally beaten in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 showdown with Real Madrid at Anfield on Tuesday night as the holders fought back from two goals down to claim a commanding 5-2 win at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp’s men, who have endured a disappointing season so far, were convincingly beaten by Carlo Ancelotti’s men in a repeat of last season’s final, with the Reds now harbouring little hope of a place in the quarter-finals.
Few predicted that there would be such a disparity between the two sides, just nine months on from a tight final in Paris. But on a mistake-riddled night on Merseyside, Liverpool were found wanting, conceding five goals in a European game at Anfield for the first time in the club’s history.
Alan Shearer, summarising for BBC 5 Live, was left far from impressed with the Reds’ defence, in particular Joe Gomez. The England international was given the nod to start alongside Virgil van Dijk instead of Joel Matip, but endured a night to forget, putting through his own net and having a torrid time against Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr and the Real Madrid attack.
Speaking on 5 Live post-game, pulled few punches when it came to Gomez’s display and the effect he believes he has on those around him.
Jurgen Klopp's approach with Robert Lewandowski bodes well for Darwin Nunez
He said: “Joe Gomez makes too many mistakes. Virgil van Dijk does not look comfortable when he’s alongside him.
“You always feel [they] are going to give something away when Gomez is playing. They were hopeless at the back; they’re not very good at the back and they don’t have the protection they used to have.
Joe Gomez endured a chastening night at Anfield (David Blunsden/Action Plus/REX/Shutterstock)“When you allow a defender (Eder Militao) who has come up from a set-piece a free header from four, five yards out with no-one near him so soon after half-time… when your goalkeeper makes a mistake like he did… when Gomez doesn’t get tight to Vinicius Jr for that first goal… all these things add up.
“You can’t do that against any player, let alone world-class players like the ones in this Real Madrid team.
“When you play at the highest level you get punished and that’s exactly what happened tonight. The defenders aren’t quick enough on the turn, the defenders are not picking players up.”
Alan Shearer was far from impressed with Liverpool's display (BBC)Shearer’s sentiments were echoed on CBS Sports by Kop legend Jamie Carragher, who labelled the side’s defence an “absolute shambles”.
He said: “Liverpool all season have been an absolute shambles defensively. Now this team had a great defensive record last season, but we know the midfield doesn’t have the energy anymore, the attacking players in the front three don’t press, or don’t have the cohesion, of [Roberto] Firmino or [Sadio] Mane, they’re new to it [Darwin] Nunez and [Cody] Gakpo.
“So this Liverpool defence now, who we’ve been told for years have some of the best players in the world, can’t cope.
“For years they’ve had a front six in front of them who probably worked harder and smarter than any other team in world football. And now that’s gone, it’s completely fallen apart.”