Jason McAteer has been furious with Darwin Nunez after Brighton scored a stoppage-time winner to knock Liverpool out of the FA Cup earlier today and is worried his old team won nothing this season.
Although Harvey Elliott had initially put the Reds ahead on the south coast, a fluke from Lewis Dunk and a late shot from Kaoru Mitoma helped Roberto De Zerbi’s side through to the fifth round.
While reviewing the Seagulls winner, the ex-Red was not happy with the efforts of our No. 27 and his attempts to stop the Japanese international’s effort.
“When the free kick is set and you look around to see who you’re guarding,” McAteer told beIN Sports (via HITC). “How does that happen? Two men on the backmast? That shouldn’t happen.
“I can understand this (Gómez turns his back on him as Mitoma gives a first touch and then shoots with the second), it is another phase, he has knocked him down, everyone is moving, you lose a player and I can get the one where he is free.
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“I don’t understand that (Estupinan being free prior to his crossing to Mitoma). I don’t know how he managed to take up so much time and space?! He would be critical of Núñez. Look at Nunez. He (Mitoma) makes Gomez, pretty fair, tries to block the shot.
“Núñez does enough there? Does the body play to say ‘I’m going to prevent that from entering?’. He is here! He throws your body into it. You don’t hang your leg. It is the last minute of the game. You defend yourself with everything you have. Put your body on the line. Take one for the team. It’s halfway. He pisses me off. We could be left with nothing this season.”
We understand McAteer’s frustration, but the initial problem arose because we didn’t score at the far post, something that is absolutely essential for any team when defending.
Pervis Estupinan had too much time to control the ball and then pick off Mitoma, and even with four men around him, the 25-year-old still managed to shoot and win the game for his team.
We urgently need to find some way before the season is cancelled.
Although we are out of both cup competitions and ten points out of the top four, we have a Champions League tie with Real Madrid to look forward to, with the first leg next month.
Hopefully the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Bobby Firmino and Diogo Jota will be back in shape by then to give Klopp’s team a much-needed boost.
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