'I blame him' - Roy Keane hammers Liverpool's 'pub team defending' and pinpoints individual at fault

Liverpool's perfect start to 2024 came to an end on Sunday as Arsenal bagged an important three points towards their Premier League title chase. The Reds remain at the top of the table but are now in more danger than ever of Manchester City elbowing them off their perch with a crucial two games in-hand.

Liverpool's performance at the Emirates displayed far from their best that we have seen throughout the 2023/24 season. The Reds managed just one shot on target in the entire game and mistakes at the back cost them dearly as a sharp Arsenal did not waste their chances.

The biggest talking point of the match came from Virgil van Dijk and Alisson's disastrous miscommunication in the second half, which led to Gabriel Martinelli scoring Arsenal's second goal. Both Liverpool players had their eye on the ball but neither fully committed to clearing it away.

Amid the confusion, Martinelli found himself free from his man with plenty of room, allowing the winger to calmly stroke the ball into the bottom of the open net.

The two have come under criticism for their errors and Michael Owen admitted he 'thought it was Alisson's fault' mainly but Roy Keane has pointed the finger at van Dijk instead. The former Manchester United star went in hard on Liverpool's defence, who have only conceded more than two goals during a league match on two occasions this season.

"The intensity from the first whistle to the last from Liverpool, in possession and without, I can't believe how bad they were," Keane said during Sky Sports' post-match analysis. "Credit to Arsenal, they turned up, and were at it. Liverpool defensively, the goals they gave away, they were like a pub team defending."

"I blame him [van Dijk] for the three goals. He's entitled to have a bad game, of course, but to give away three goals in such a big game, you know it's going to hurt them at the end of the season."

Jamie Carragher agreed it was a 'big mistake' that typically happens once a season but admitted van Dijk had to deal with the situation and head it away from goal. The Anfield icon also looked at Alisson, who came jumping out of his box but completely missed the opportunity to clear the ball.

"Don't complicate it. Don't let it bounce. I mean, we're talking schoolboy stuff here. We really are. He's just got to head that back to [Ibrahima] Konaté."

Liverpool's loss puts them within touching distance of Man City, who will leapfrog the Reds if they win their two games in-hand. Arsenal have also closed the gap to just two points between them and the top spot as the three-way title race continues.