Liverpool were unlucky to lose out yesterday in their fourth-round FA Cup tie against Manchester United, with Jurgen Klopp’s team crashing out of the competition with United running out 3-2 victors.
The result was a tough one to take given the performance that the Reds produced on the day and the changes made throughout the match didn’t do much to help the situation with none of our substitutes able to make a difference in the game.
In fact, their lack of impact was so noticeable that pundit Ian Wright, who was one presenting the fixture alongside Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, was keen to point towards the fact that Liverpool’s bench lacked real depth with three individuals in particular under fire in Takumi Minamino, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Divock Origi…
Ian Wright: "Minamino, Shaqiri and Origi are not upgrades on what Liverpool need at all." #awlfc [bbc]
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) January 24, 2021
Wright suggested that the £37.80 million trio are no upgrade on any of Liverpool’s current options up top such as Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mané – and I have to agree with him if I’m honest.
The three are good players in their own right with Shaqiri and Origi, in particular, having more time on Merseyside and actually making more on an impact on the club over the past few seasons – but it would be unfair to paint Minamino with the same brush given he has only been at the club for just over a year.
Who was your MOTM vs Manchester United?
Mo Salah
Roberto Firmino
Thiago
Curtis Jones
Shaqiri and Origi are two players that have been given plenty of opportunities in a Reds shirt and have been linked with a move away from the club before the January transfer window opened up but those rumors were squashed.
Wright could see from the appearances that the three players made that there was an evident dip in quality when they came on and in my opinion, there was no chance of us winning the game from the moment that they came on with just nine munites to go.
What do you think Liverpool fans, do you agree with Ian Wright? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below…