Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has been criticised following the Reds’ dismal defeat against Nottingham Forest – which saw them lose further ground in the Premier League.
Liverpool suffered another Premier League defeat against Nottingham Forest.(Image: Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has singled out Ryan Gravenberch for criticism and insists the midfielder’s performances have gone under the radar in recent weeks.
Arne Slot‘s team suffered another dismal Premier League defeat on Saturday, despite desperately needing to turn their fortunes around. They were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Sean Dyche‘s Nottingham Forest – their joint-heaviest Premier League defeat at Anfield.
The result comes just weeks after Liverpool were beaten by the same scoreline away at Manchester City, and is their sixth defeat in the last seven league matches. Slot’s side have slipped to 11th in the standings, a far cry from where they were at the end of September.
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OPINION
Felix Keith
A number of players have been criticised throughout this run of form, including Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo, among others. However, Nicol reckons Gravenberch’s performances have been sub-par of late, yet the Dutchman’s form has not been spoken about as much as others.
“There’s one guy who I think has escaped criticism so far; Gravenberch,” the former Red told ESPN. “This is a guy who no question after [Mohamed] Salah and maybe [Virgil] van Dijk was Liverpool’s best player last year.
“He was in the right place all the time, he made great decisions, he started attacks. His main job is to be that block, that guy in front of the back four that orders the other two around, lets them go forward when they can and fills in behind.
“He’s done none of that this year. He’s another one who, as fantastic as he was last year, has completely disappeared again.”
Ryan Gravenberch has been singled out for criticism after Liverpool’s defeat against Nott’m Forest. (Image: Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Gravenberch has established himself as a crucial player for Slot after making the No.6 role his own last term. While the midfielder’s output is perhaps better this season, with three goals and two assists compared to just four assists last campaign, Nicol is of the opinion that he has not done enough from a defensive standpoint.
The Reds now face a crucial run of fixtures as they look to turn their fortunes around and regain some form. They meet Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in midweek, before a trip to West Ham next weekend.
Then they will take on Sunderland, Leeds United and Inter Milan at the start of December, before matches against Brighton and Tottenham in the run-up to Christmas. While the title is seemingly all but gone at this stage, a fight for the top-four and a strong Champions League run is still there at stake for the Reds.
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