Jamie Carragher destroyed Alberto Moreno for his performance as Liverpool squandered a three-goal lead to draw against Sevilla in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Merseysiders looked to be coasting into the knockout stage for the first time since 2009 as two goals from Roberto Firmino and one from Sadio Mane put them in total control with a scintillating first-half performance.
Yet after Alberto Moreno needlessly conceded a free-kick against his former club, Wissam Ben Yedder’s header made it 3-1.
Moreno then conceded a penalty by clipping Ben Yedder on the edge of the box, and the French striker scored after being ordered to retake a successful spot-kick because of encroachment.
Guido Pizarro poked home in the third minute of added time as the hosts snatched a draw.
Carragher was particularly incensed with the performance of Alberto Moreno, whose pair of quick-fire errors allowed his former side to claw back into the game before he was substituted after an hour and replaced by James Milner.
.@Carra23: – Thankfully I’m not allowed to swear also, because I’d like to swear when I see that second half.
(@JanAageFjortoft) pic.twitter.com/gwLHiMA8BN
— Viasport Fotball (@ViasportFotball) November 21, 2017
The Liverpool legend and high-profile pundit is convinced that, despite Moreno’s improvement in form this season, the Spaniard is still a ticking time bomb at the back.
“He’s had a lot of credit this season because he’s performed a lot better than he has done,” Carragher told Via Sport. “But he’s been at the club now for three or four years, and I don’t think a run of seven, eight games should cloud people’s judgement, of what you think of him as a player.
“I still think Liverpool need a left-back. He has done a lot better this season but he still has those moments where he makes rash decisions and rash tackles. And I don’t think that will ever go out of his game.
“It was actually a very good decision by Klopp to bring James Milner on, because at that stage I thought Liverpool were going to lose the game, never mind draw.
“To be fair he has done well, we haven’t seen that a lot this season, but again it goes back to the Moreno we’ve seen for the last three or four years.”
OPINION
Moreno is not good enough for Liverpool and never will be. It may sound harsh to damn him after two blunders in a ferocious atmosphere on what was a particularly emotional night for him against his ex-club, but the Spaniard has chalked up the errors over the last four seasons and can never be trusted to get the job done. His pace, overlaps and attacking threat make him an attractive option, but his lack of concentration and defensive nous outweigh the positive aspects of his game. Liverpool have a better orthodox left-back at the club. His name is Andrew Robertson and he should start against Chelsea.