English Premier League
Jurgen Klopp told to axe Liverpool stars from starting XI after what pundit observed
Liverpool stars set to be axed from Liverpool XI after what pundit observed
Football Pundict Frank McAvennie has claimed Virgil van Dijk could be axed from the Liverpool starting XI.
The former West Ham striker said either Joe Gomez or Van Dijk should be dropped from the starting lineup against Wolves according to football insider.
The Reds suffered an embarrassing 4-1 loss to Napoli in the first game of their Champions League group stages on Wednesday.
Van Dijk gave away a penalty in the first half of the game after a challenge on Victor Osimhen and he got booked for the challenge.
Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk,Joel Matip, and Fabio Carvalho (Getty Images)
Asked if either Gomez or Van Dijk should be dropped after the humiliation in Napoli, McAvennie said: “There’s no love lost.
You can’t, as a player, have two or three bad games. If that happens then you’re out. Then you have to fight your way back in.
“I know that Van Dijk likes Gomez to play with him but it’s not worked. So no matter what Van Dijk wants, the manager has got to change it.
“If it’s not Gomez who gets dropped it’ll have to be Van Dijk because he’s not hit the ground running either. He’s not been his usual self. It’s a strange one but I’m sure the manager will talk to them.“
The former Southampton player’s performance has caused talkSPORT analyst Cundy to doubt the No. 4’s skills since he recovered from the knee injury he suffered against Everton in 2020.
“Sorry, am I missing something? Do you see the goals Alisson conceded this evening?” Cundy asked listeners (via TEAMtalk).
“Are you watching Van Dijk defend? Can we have an adult, grown up, big boy, put your pants on conversation about Liverpool?
“Because they’re [supporters] happy to come on this station and laud it when they do this that and the other, but when there’s a mistake it’s ‘this that and the other’.
“Put your big boy pants on and have a big boy pants conversation about Van Dijk”
In other news, Joao Moutinho makes ‘special’ Liverpool admission as Liverpool prepare to face Wolves
