Gary Neville Slams Liverpool Star after Chelsea Defeat | OneFootball

Gary Neville’s Brutal Take Highlights Liverpool Concerns

Liverpool’s stumble has turned into a full-on skid after consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea. Arne Slot may have delivered the Premier League title in record time, but the current run has rattled confidence across Merseyside. One player under particular scrutiny is left-back Milos Kerkez and Gary Neville’s remarks after the Chelsea loss have ensured the conversation will not quieten down any time soon.

Kerkez Struggling Under Spotlight

Kerkez arrived at Liverpool off the back of a breakthrough season with Bournemouth where he was widely regarded as one of the standout left-backs in the Premier League. His inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year underlined his status as an elite prospect, yet his early months at Anfield have exposed flaws rather than progress.

A difficult outing at Burnley, where he was substituted in the first half, sparked the first murmurs of doubt. Since then mistakes have crept into his game and opponents are now actively targeting his flank. Slot’s side prides itself on intensity, yet Kerkez appears half a second off the pace, often caught between pressing and covering space.

Photo: IMAGO

Gary Neville’s Scathing Post-Match Verdict

Gary Neville did not sugarcoat his thoughts following Liverpool’s defeat at Stamford Bridge. His evaluation of Kerkez was as cutting as any heard this season.

“The boy Kerkez, to be honest with you, at this point in time, he looks like a youth player.”

“I know he’s a good player, but he looks like he’s playing for the youth team, or the Under-21s.”

“He looks so naïve, he looks like a baby out there. He’s losing 50-50s with Neto!”

“He’s had Premier League experience, it’s not like he’s come in from another country.”

“He’s got a lot of games under his belt, he’s played at these grounds before, so I expected him to slot in.”

“One, he’s playing alongside Virgil van Dijk, the best centre half in the world, so if you want to play in a back four, you want to play with great defenders and he is doing that.”

“And he’s got player who work hard on that side, it’s not like he’s playing on the right with Salah in front of him, which is always a bit more difficult because you always get a little bit more exposed.”

“But I have to say from the first ten minutes of that game against Bournemouth on the first game of the season, he’s struggled.”

Neville’s core argument is simple: Kerkez is not performing at the level required for a Liverpool defender, especially one stationed next to Virgil van Dijk.

Time For Response Not Excuses

Kerkez remains a talented player and Liverpool’s coaches are said to be impressed with his professionalism behind the scenes. The problem is that patience is rarely afforded to full-backs at Anfield. Andy Robertson set the benchmark and Kostas Tsimikas was judged against it too.

Liverpool fans will accept mistakes if the reaction is fierce. What supporters will not tolerate is hesitation. Kerkez must decide whether he wants to be a stop-gap or a long-term pillar of Slot’s defence. Chelsea and Crystal Palace exposed weakness, now it is down to him to show resilience.