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'Real Madrid will be laughing'

Roy Keane slams Liverpool defence and insists Jurgen Klopp’s men cannot win Champions League

Slack defending cost Jurgen Klopp's team a win on their return to the Champions League after a two-year absence

ROY KEANE has slammed Liverpool's "schoolboy defending" and reckons Real Madrid will be laughing at them.

Sevilla grabbed a 2-2 draw at Anfield as Reds returned to the Champions League after a two-year absence.

 Roy Keane says Liverpool's defending will ensure they win nothing
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Roy Keane says Liverpool's defending will ensure they win nothingCredit: Rex Features
 Liverpool's defence is exposed as Sevilla net their first goal at Anfield
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Liverpool's defence is exposed as Sevilla net their first goal at AnfieldCredit: PA:Empics Sport

Slack defending allowed Wissam Ben Yedder to put the visitors ahead, before Jurgen Klopp's side came back to lead through Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

But Joaquin Correa took advantage of Firmino's penalty miss to slice through Reds' defence with 18 minutes to go and grab a point.

Keane reckons Reds' Achilles heel is obvious and will cost them a shot at silverware.

The Manchester United legend said: "This sums up Liverpool in a nutshell, and why they're not going to win any big prizes.

"Just switching off from a throw in, leads to the equaliser. In such an important game, at such an important moment.

"Experienced players just switching off. It must drive the manager crazy as it's just schoolboy defending.

"It's the easiest part of football - just switching on.

 Joaquin Correa scores a leveller with 18 minutes to go
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Joaquin Correa scores a leveller with 18 minutes to goCredit: EPA
 Reds boss Jurgen Klopp saw his side's weakness exposed again
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Reds boss Jurgen Klopp saw his side's weakness exposed againCredit: Reuters

"Liverpool did all the hard stuff really well, in terms of creating chances, pace, power and quality going forward, but Liverpool can't seem to do the easy things.

"Liverpool can forget about winning the Champions League. I mean, they should have enough to get through the group.

"But in the knockout stages against the Real Madrids and all these boys, they'll be laughing at Liverpool."

Klopp says that he does not believe Liverpool's defensive frailties can be solved with one signing.

The German said: "I know you are always looking for this thing - the defence was always something being talked about: 'We didn't sign this or that'.

 After the match Klopp said that one signing would not fix his defensive problems
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After the match Klopp said that one signing would not fix his defensive problemsCredit: PA:Press Association

"If these problems could be solved by one player you can imagine we would have put all our money into it and say: 'Let's do this'.

"It is about being dominant and losing a bit of a grip on the game in all the defensive moments.

"There is space for improvement. We need to learn to be dominant and not give easy goals.

"It is not a general defending problem but we have to improve 100 per cent."


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