"Small club mentality" - Rio Ferdinand makes scathing Liverpool claim and calls out Jamie CarragherÂ
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has slammed Liverpool's current and former players following their 1-0 loss against Bournemouth on March 11.
The Reds lost against the relegation-battling Cherries away in a big blow to their Premier League top-four hopes. The defeat came six days after they hammered United 7-0 at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp's side celebrated immensely after their biggest-ever win over Manchester United on March 5. Citing their celebrations in the wake of the Bournemouth loss, Ferdinand slammed Liverpool, saying (via Mirror):
"That is a small club mentality. That screams small club. Screaming and shouting when they beat United, yes they battered us, hands up."
Ferdinand then also hit out at former Reds players Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness for their banter after the derby win. He said:
"The way Souness and Carragher were celebrating, the way they were trying to antagonise the guys [Roy Keane and Gary Neville], and then their team goes and does that at the weekend. They should be ashamed of themselves."
Liverpool are now sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand. They could drop down even further if Brighton & Hove Albion win their two games in hand over them.
Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool's loss against Bournemouth
The Reds had some decent chances in the game against Bournemouth but were unable to capitalize on them. Philip Billing's first-half goal was enough for the hosts to take all three points.
Mohamed Salah had the chance to equalize for Liverpool from the penalty spot but he fired his shot wide of the post.
Speaking afterward, manager Jurgen Klopp shared his thoughts on the game, saying:
"What can I say? It was never really our game. We were dominant in the first half but mostly we put ball in at the wrong moment against a compact side. They had their counter-attacks they wanted to have. I really think the spaces we had to play were super clear, super open."
He added:
"The rest was more or less busy with covering other spaces, we didn't use that often enough, didn't enjoy the challenge to face a deep, compact side. It's clear we cannot get through with all the balls but it was like we didn't get through and things didn't work out."
Liverpool will next face Real Madrid away in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash. The Reds lost the first leg 5-2 at Anfield.