Here is your Liverpool morning digest for Tuesday, August 23.
Jamie Carragher questions Liverpool's commitment
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has called Liverpool's performance against Manchester United 'embarrassing' after they found themselves 2-0 after 53 minutes.
It was another disappointing display from Jurgen Klopp 's side as Jadon Sancho gave the hosts an early lead. Matters only got worse in the second-half as Marcus Rashford extended their lead.
READ MORE: Liverpool did not just have an 'off-night' against Manchester United as huge worry emerges
READ MORE: Gary Neville is 'going easy on Liverpool' after Manchester United defeat
It could have been three on 75 minutes as the 24-year-old skipped past three Liverpool players but fired an effort over the crossbar. The lacklustre defending earned some unsurprising criticism from Carragher.
"What is going on with Liverpool? That is embarrassing," he said on commentary. "He goes past three and almost scores a brilliant goal that sums the game up. Liverpool just haven’t been committed enough.
"We questioned United at Brentford, we should be questioning Liverpool for exactly the same things here tonight."
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
FSG need to come to Jurgen Klopp's aid
If this was an evening that began with a half-hearted protest, it surely ended with a full-blooded plea, writes Ian Doyle.
Liverpool, and Jurgen Klopp, need help. And it’s now up to Fenway Sports Group to loosen the purse strings.
The debate over whether the Reds require midfield reinforcement has proven divisive among the fanbase. With eight senior options in the squad, it’s small wonder such a transfer hasn’t been a priority this window, particularly with next summer a natural time for change given the number of contracts coming to an end.
Klopp has been quite happy to insist there will be no further business. His understanding of the club's finances and transfer policy has, of course, served him extremely well during seven success-laden years at Anfield.
But there comes a point where something needs to be done. And that moment was perhaps reached when Naby Keita once again withdrew with another injury, clearly disrupting a gameplan that had been worked on for the best part of a week.
Another game saw another makeshift midfield. Questions may be asked over Fabinho being benched but the Brazilian has been poor in recent weeks, so it was hardly the most surprising call. However, the engine room malfunctioned badly and gave United the impetus they needed to gain an early lead they didn’t relinquish, despite Liverpool dominating possession and shots at goal.
The witch in the building, as Klopp referenced last week, meant the Reds had around £280million of talent on the sidelines. Even allowing for Darwin Nunez’s self-inflicted absence, that’s still about £200m across nine players. Few if any squads can cope with that level of missing talent.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
READ NEXT
- Jamie Carragher questions Liverpool's commitment after 'embarrassing' defending against Manchester United
- Liverpool player ratings as Virgil van Dijk and three other stars awful against Manchester United
- Rate the Liverpool players after defeat against Manchester United
- Micah Richards makes 'strange' Virgil Van Dijk claim after Manchester United opener against Liverpool
- What Cristiano Ronaldo did to Jamie Carragher before Manchester United vs Liverpool
