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‘What can you say, another goalkeeper error?’: Steve McManaman stunned as Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Liverpool’s Alisson gave away goals in first half of their Champions League round of 16 tie
Steve McManaman was stunned after rare errors by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and his Liverpool counterpart Alisson Becker during the first half of their Champions League round of 16 match.
Courtois poorly controlled a loose ball with the ball deflected from his knee into the path of Salah, and the Egyptian reacted impressively to find the net.
Salah’s effort gave Liverpool a 2-0 lead after Darwin Nunez’s opening goal, before Vinicius Junior reduced the deficit.
BT Sport co-commentator McManaman made the comparison between Courtois’ man of the match performance when Real Madrid beat Liverpool in last year’s Champions League final with his shocking mistake at Anfield.
McManaman also praised the quick reactions of Salah, who became Liverpool’s all-time top scorer in Europe with 42 goals.
Thibaut Courtois poorly controlled the ball to give Mohamed Salah’s second goal to Liverpool
“From man of the match in the Champions League final to a huge mistake by Courtois tonight,” McManaman said.
‘You just have to touch him and clear your lines, it bounces off his knee.
‘Fair play to Mo Salah, he’s the one thinking what if. That’s why he would get the rewards from him. He comes off his knee and is a brilliant finisher with his left foot.
‘Mo Salah has surpassed our own Steven Gerrard on the charts. What a servant Mo has been.
“What a brilliant shot, to bet on the goalkeeper making a mistake.”
Vinicius Junior leveled the tie after a mistake by Liverpool goalkeeper Allison Becker
Allison’s pass hit the Brazilian winger before returning to the Liverpool goal.
Real Madrid equalized in equally bizarre fashion, as Alisson’s clearance hit Vinicius and into the net.
‘Well, what can you say, another goal error. Simple as that,” McManaman said.
Allison Becker is just trying to play the game and she messes up. Again, fair play for the striker, continuing. She shoots it towards the net.
The pass was never activated.
Gerrard, speaking on BT Sport, suggested the Liverpool goalkeeper would regret his pass attempt rather than take a safer option.
“I feel sorry for him because he has been the best player for Liverpool all season,” Gerrard said.
You will regret not only emptying it to the left side of the field. He could take a bunt and get to the first foot. It was very similar in the first part, a lot of quality and two individual errors.
Gerrard’s pundit partner Rio Ferdinand claimed that both errors could be related to teams’ desire to play from behind.
“This is part of modern football now, it’s risk and reward,” Ferdinand said.
‘In our days, that would have been released into the field and you would reconfigure your system. Nowadays, when you want to pass, things like that happen.