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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes that his former club and even Manchester City would not have been able to cope with Liverpool’s injury crisis so far this season. The Reds have given up their chance to retain the Premier League title after three straight losses in the league, the last of which was against Leicester on Saturday. Liverpool lost 3-1 despite leading 1-0 with 15 minutes remaining.
The reigning champions have accumulated just eight points in their last 10 league games and their tally of six losses in 24 games this season matches the amount they suffered in the last two seasons combined, in 76 starts.
However, Liverpool have been plagued by constant injury problems this season and lined up at Leicester without any of the four senior center-back options they started the season with.
The Merseyside club’s first-choice partnership was Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, but long-term knee injuries shortened their seasons, while Joel Matip has also had a problem late in the season.
Fabinho was absent from King Power Stadium as January signing Ozan Kabak made his debut alongside midfielder and captain Jordan Henderson with a muscle injury.
Liverpool also did not have Diogo Jota, Naby Keita, Divock Origi, Ben Davies and Caoimhin Kelleher, while James Milner succumbed to injury in the second half.
Additionally, Henderson, Sadio Mane, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago Alcantara and Kostas Tsimikas have also suffered sideline spells this season.
And Ferdinand, speaking before the game before Milner added to Liverpool’s woes, insists that no other team would continue to compete for a place in the Champions League with the number of injuries that Jurgen Klopp has had to be content with.
“At full blast, they are challenging City to win the league, 100 percent, no doubt,” Ferdinand told BT Sport, ahead of Liverpool’s loss to Leicester, which left them adrift from champion-elect City.
“But I don’t think anyone else is in their position with the amount of things that have destabilized their season. That’s a credit to them.”
“I still see them third. Anyone else in this situation who is going through what has happened is finishing eighth or tenth.”
Robbie Savage added: “The benchmark they have set is quite remarkable. City reached a stage where they were winning 1-0, 2-0 and people were saying, ‘That’s not good enough.
“Liverpool have set such a high benchmark. They have lost more games this season in the Premier League than in the previous two. That is the situation.
“Listen, when Leicester won the Premier League, it was an incredible season, but many times you could name the Leicester team, the nine, 10, 11 players [who would start].
“In the last two seasons you could do that with Liverpool. This season, the injuries they have had, I’m with Rio, I think most of the teams in that position would be in the middle of the table.
“That situation there, the goalkeeper has to take control of that situation. That is a lack of confidence,” Ferdinand said about the Brazilian goalkeeper.
“I would be more concerned about the fact that they concede and the team capitulates, that for me is a big concern.
“This team was one that talked about leaders, mental strength, resilience, robustness. They are anything but that right now. When that goal came in, they became a soft touch.
“Is there a hangover from the last game? No communication. These are little details that cost you points.
“They have big long-term injuries. I don’t see it change drastically. They don’t look as powerful as a group.”
Liverpool manager Klopp said after the final whistle: “We have to win football matches and a lot of our football has gone back to being really good. We have to do it consistently. We have to avoid mistakes, we have to avoid misunderstandings.
“We cannot avoid VAR errors or things like that, but everything else that is in our hands must be avoided. Today, in two situations we did not do that and that is why they were able to score two goals.
“The rest of the football game is really good. Yes, if you win football games maybe today you can score more goals, but those are the steps you have to take.
“First, you have to act again; the result is always hugely related to performance. And today we were good enough to win the game for a long, long period in the game, but not until the end because of a couple of things. .
“We don’t even worry about the title, we’re not stupid. We have a tough game on Tuesday. [in the Champions League against RB Leipzig] and then Saturday again, a derby, so these are the things we are thinking about. We want to have a good season at the end, we have to win. “
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