Gabby Agbonlahor has doubled down on his prediction that Liverpool will finish outside the top four after they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest.
The Reds suffered their third defeat of the season at the City Ground on Saturday with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring the only goal of the game against his former side.
Awoniyi was loaned out seven times during his six-year spell at Liverpool before eventually leaving to join Bundesliga side Union Berlin.
He’s now back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest and his 55th-minute goal sees Liverpool remain in seventh place and five points off the top four.
After predicting earlier in the campaign that Liverpool would struggle to qualify for the Champions League, former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor insists he hasn’t seen anything to change his mind.
“Every player apart from Alisson was below a 5/10,” Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT. “Liverpool were looking like they’ll try and get back in the top four but can you name four better teams than Liverpool at the moment? Easily.
“I said at the start of the season, Liverpool will not get into the Champions League and I don’t think they will. I’m not going to get carried away by them beating Rangers – who were dreadful – I’m not going to get carried away by them beating Man City with Pep’s mistakes and his tactics.
“Today, a tough game away from home, a cold day in Nottingham, didn’t fancy it at all.”
And former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer thinks Liverpool got their attitude wrong on Saturday with Jurgen Klopp’s players expecting to win by simply turning up.
“It’s difficult to work out Liverpool,” Shearer told Premier League Productions. “Last week they were full of energy against Man City. But Forest had work-rate and hunger to get the ball. We thought Liverpool would win but from the off they started like they just needed to turn up. You can’t turn up and expect to win in any game.”
Shearer and fellow pundit Robbie Fowler were both critical of Joe Gomez’s performance at Forest, especially in the build up to the goal.
“What a touch from Cook on the right hand side, and then to have the ability to get it across into the danger area,” Shearer continued after the match. “He doesn’t really pick anyone, it was just get it in there and hoping.
“[Awoniyi] times his run to perfection, but the two [Liverpool] centre-halves, Gomez in particular, he’s not marking anyone.”
Fowler added: “He’s [Gomez] got loads of time. He’s got 10 yards of space and all of a sudden it becomes a battle.
“He gives the free-kick away, he gets a yellow card. He has literally got 10 yards of space. Premier League players should be able to find whatever pass they need [in that position].”
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