Jamie Carragher blasted Alexis Mac Allister after Liverpool’s season hit a new low against Aston Villa, as demonstrated by their desperately poor defensive record.
Villa swept Liverpool aside with a dominant 4-2 victory at home to qualify for the Champions League and hand Arne Slot’s side their 12th league defeat of the season. The result leaves Liverpool in fifth and at serious risk of being caught by sixth-placed Bournemouth.
Villa took the lead shortly before half-time when a brilliant corner routine caught Liverpool out. John McGinn received the ball from Lucas Digne before playing in Morgan Rogers, who had too much space in the box.
Rogers proceeded to curl a brilliant right-footed strike into the far corner to put Villa in front heading into the break.
Virgil van Dijk dragged Liverpool level in the 52nd minute by heading home from a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick, before Rio Ngumoha saw a great strike cannon back off the post.
Villa restored their lead a minute later, as Rogers capitalised on Szoboszlai slipping to set up Ollie Watkins – and the striker made no mistake.
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Liverpool were open to the counter-attack even before Slot brought on attacking substitutions, and things only got worse.
Emi Buendia hit the crossbar before Watkins secured his brace to make it 3-1. Giorgi Mamardashvili pulled off a superb double save to deny Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, but Watkins was on hand to finish at close range.
It went from bad to worse for Liverpool in the 89th minute when McGinn caressed a beautiful shot into the top corner.
Van Dijk scored his second header of the night in injury time, with Szoboszlai once again turning provider, but it was too late for the visitors.
Sky Sports co-commentator Carragher was left stunned by what he saw. He said in the first half: “You’re just watching a very ordinary team. I’m not sure what they excel at at all, Liverpool.”
Carragher was extremely disappointed by what he saw from Mac Allister in the 71st minute. Mac Allister pushed Ezri Konsa while marking the defender at a corner, before the Englishman grabbed his shirt and pushed him back.
Carragher rips Liverpool star apart
Mac Allister went down holding his face, trying to get Konsa punished – but it was clear his face had barely been touched.
Carragher reacted to Mac Allister’s actions by saying: “Honest to god. He goes down every game with something on his ankle. Get up. How embarrassing is that.
“What I don’t get is, every player up and down the country knows we’re going to look at the replays. We all know he hasn’t done what you’re trying to make out he’s done.”
Villa’s third goal meant Liverpool had conceded 76 in all competitions this season, their worst defensive record since the 1992-93 campaign.
Carragher called that a ‘shocking number’ before adding: “They don’t excel at anything. They’re a really, really average team.
“I can’t believe they’re fifth in the Premier League.”
Ngumoha was the only Liverpool player to receive praise from Carragher, as he was ‘unstoppable’ at times.
Carragher was less impressed by Ibrahima Konate, though. Villa shouted for a red card in the second half after Konate clashed with Watkins as the last man, with the striker going down.
Nothing was given, but Carragher said: “Konate is always the wrong side of Watkins. The reason he gets in these situations is he’s always in the wrong position.”
The pundit added that Villa ‘ripped Liverpool apart’, while the Reds were ‘weak’ all over the pitch, especially in midfield.
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