Michael Owen blasts Liverpool's midfield trio over disappointing loss to Brighton
Liverpool suffered a huge blow in their title race after they slumped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat to 15th-placed Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield on Wednesday.
Following the events on Merseyside, former Liverpool striker and BT Sport pundit Michael Owen has slammed Liverpool's midfield, claiming that the midfield trio of Gini Wijnaldum, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are too alike and lack creativity.
Speaking to Premier League Productions, Michael Owen believes the reigning champions lack the cutting edge and often run out of ideas against weaker sides in the league.
The former Liverpool striker said:
"I often think as well that Mane when he plays and Salah they’re better when they start wide.
"Think of the chance Salah had early on, he needs to start wide and run inside. as soon as Firmino drops in it leaves those gaps and they come wide. A lot of the time this season they’ve been starting narrow and then you’ve got nowhere to run the only way you can run is out and away from the goal.
"I think Liverpool are better when they have width. They get clustering. They have a lot of same players in midfield in Thiago, Wijnaldum and Milner.
"I would like to seem them stretching play a lot more, upping the tempo, winning the ball high again, committing players forward to win the ball high, they have to do it, they have to stem it themselves because they don’t have the Anfield crowd.
"You can react off the crowd, it’s a powerful thing but they can’t call upon that now they need to do it themselves to get this monkey off their back, I don’t fear for them against Manchester City or against better teams. It’s against packed defenders that I think they’re running out of ideas."
Liverpool’s struggles in the Premier League continue
Liverpool took on the Seagulls looking to build on their impressive outing against West Ham United at the weekend.
However, in a dire performance, they suffered their second-straight defeat at Anfield and their first against Brighton in Premier League history.
Head coach Jurgen Klopp revealed that his side were physically and mentally drained after the game, as the injury crisis prevents adequate rest and squad rotation needed.
The Reds have now dropped 26 points this season, almost double their total points dropped last season, where they suffered just three defeats and three draws.
Liverpool have now slipped to fourth place in the league table, seven points adrift of leaders Manchester City, who they square off against at Anfield on Sunday.