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"Rubbish" - Michael Owen slams Liverpool trio after embarrassing Bournemouth defeat

"Rubbish" - Michael Owen slams Liverpool trio after embarrassing Bournemouth defeat

Vishal Subramanian 13 Mar 2023, 11:17 Last modified: 13 Mar 2023

Michael Owen has singled out Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold for criticism after Liverpool's humiliating 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.

Philip Billing's first-half strike secured all three points for the Cherries as their Premier League survival hopes took a massive boost in front of their own fans. Speaking to Premier League productions, as cited by Football365.com, Owen criticized Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Konate for the roles they played in the lead-up to the Danish midfielder's close-range finish.

Owen: "Excuses are running out in terms of injuries because it got virtually the full quota of players back. That is why football is just the strangest game sometimes. When you watch the game, you can't say they Bournemouth didn't deserve the points.”
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) March 12, 2023

“Virgil van Dijk ends up going in where you think he shouldn’t, but then Konate can see the whole picture. Van Dijk has gone in with his man.

“I think it’s a 50-50, I think Konate tries to play offside when he can see everything in front of him and he needs to be sprinting back, as it is, Van Dijk gets back in, then Billing and Alexander-Arnold at the back post.

“Trent Alexander-Arnold ends up coming to the back post, totally losing his man, and then it’s a simple finish in the end. I think Konate can do better (preventing the cross). But Trent completely loses his man. It’s a rubbish goal to give away.”

ANFIELD WATCH VERDICT

Liverpool looked a shadow of the team that humiliated Manchester United 7-0 two weeks ago at Anfield as they crumbled against the relegation strugglers away from home. Owen's criticism is completely justified as Liverpool looked to play a high line at the back and were carved open with ease.

Owen: "They beat Bournemouth by nine and beat Manchester City 1-0 in a brilliant game. They’ve shown signs throughout the season that they are right at that top level. But they only do it sporadically, that's the problem. They can't do it consistently at the moment."
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) March 12, 2023

With 12 games to go this season, the Reds are six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, although they've played a game fewer than Antonio Conte's side. The race for a place in the top four is still very much open, with Newcastle United also in with a chance of securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season. Liverpool can still finish the season strongly, but Jurgen Klopp needs to find a way to get his side firing consistently as they enter the business end of the 2022-23 campaign.