In a candid analysis following Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has pinpointed a glaring deficiency in the Reds’ defensive line, specifically at right-back. The match saw Moises Caicedo open the scoring for Chelsea, with Cody Gakpo equalising in the 63rd minute. However, Chelsea clinched victory with a late goal in injury time by Estevao, who found the net from a Marc Cucurella cross.
Liverpool’s summer transfer activity, which saw them spend over £400 million, did not prevent this third consecutive loss, following defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray. The result relinquished their Premier League top spot to Arsenal, who secured a 2-0 win against West Ham.
Rooney, speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day, highlighted the defensive woes stemming from the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid. “Liverpool have a clear problem in the right-back area,” he remarked, noting that Conor Bradley, who has been substituted at half-time in consecutive matches, has struggled to fill the void. Rooney added, “Chelsea recognised and exploited this weakness.”
Liverpool’s attempts to resolve the issue by deploying Dominik Szoboszlai and benching Jeremie Frimpong have yet to yield a stable solution, as evidenced by the managerial choices over just seven league games. Rooney criticised the defensive disarray, pointing out, “The Liverpool back-four were all over the place.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot remained optimistic despite the setback, focusing on the chances created during the match. He acknowledged the fine margins that have not favoured Liverpool in recent fixtures, concluding, “In both games against Palace and Chelsea, we’ve created more opportunities but have only managed to score once.”
The Reds will need to address this defensive vulnerability if they are to compete effectively and claw back their standing in the league.