Jamie Carragher has highlighted a significant defensive weakness in Liverpool’s team following their Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace. The Premier League champions drew 2-2 with Crystal Palace at Wembley, but ultimately lost 3-2 on penalties. New signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong scored for Liverpool in the first half, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr found the net for Palace.

Despite Liverpool’s strong attacking moments, especially with their record signing Florian Wirtz heavily involved, the Reds showed vulnerability in defense. Carragher pointed out specific issues related to Liverpool’s backline, particularly when Palace bypassed their pressing system. A notable error was Virgil Van Dijk conceding a penalty in the first half, followed by a failure to execute the offside trap correctly, which allowed Sarr to score Palace’s second goal.

Carragher also expressed concerns about Milos Kerkez, one of Arne Slot’s new signings, struggling to adapt to Liverpool’s defensive system. This defensive fragility and lack of cohesion raised questions about the effectiveness of Liverpool’s recent signings in maintaining solidity at the back.

On penalties, Liverpool suffered further setbacks as key players Mo Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, and Harvey Elliott missed their spot-kicks, enabling Crystal Palace substitute Justin Devenny to score the winning penalty. This defeat exposed not only defensive frailties but also shortcomings in composure during crucial moments.

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Overall, Carragher’s analysis suggests that while Liverpool’s attack shows promise, strengthening their defensive organization—especially in integrating new players—is essential to prevent such lapses from costing them in future important matches.


PP