BBC pundit Garth Crooks has claimed that Tottenham pair Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier got “stage fright” in the draw against Liverpool on Sunday.
Spurs earned a point following a 2-2 draw at Anfield in the Premier League and are still in the hunt for the Champions League spots.
They are currently fifth in the league standings and a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who play their game in hand away to Watford on Monday night.
Mohamed Salah scored two fabulous goals for the Merseyside club in the match, with the second coming in the 91st minute to put the hosts in front.
However, Mauricio Pochettino’s team twice came from behind, first through Victor Wanyama’s stunning strike and then Harry Kane’s penalty in the 95th minute.
Crooks has criticised defender Sanchez and midfielder Dier despite an impressive point away at a difficult ground in Anfield.
Sanchez struggled to deal with Liverpool’s frontline, while Dier gift wrapped the opening goal of the game to Salah with his mistimed back-pass.
“Spurs paid the price from a shocking bout of stage fright, especially from Davinson Sanchez, who had never played at Anfield before, and Eric Dier, who had,” Crooks wrote in his column for BBC Sport.
OPINION
Sanchez has been extremely solid this campaign during his debut season in England, but was perhaps overwhelmed by the intense Anfield atmosphere. The 21-year-old centre-back really struggled to get to grips with the match and will just have to write it off as a bad day at the office. Toby Alderweireld is nearing a return from injury though and that could be bad news for Sanchez. Meanwhile, central midfielder Dier made a sloppy mistake after only three minutes in Liverpool and it gave them a mountain the climb. The 24-year-old is remarkably one of the more senior figures in the side and is searching for real consistency in his game.