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Jamie Carragher tears into Reece James and slams another Chelsea star after Liverpool defeat

Chelsea defender and captain Reece James battles against Liverpool's Cody Gakpo
-Credit: (Image: Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images)


Jamie Carragher believes two Chelsea players were at fault for Liverpool's second goal at Anfield as Arne Slot's side hit back immediately after Nicolas Jackson's equaliser. Following a fiery first half, the game picked off where it had left off after the break.

Jackson fired Chelsea level with a coolly taken finish, initially disallowed for offside but eventually given after a VAR review. Within minutes they were behind again though, Curtis Jones once more at the centre of things.

Jones had already been awarded a penalty for colliding with Rob Sanchez earlier in the game but continued his marauding display, latching onto a cross and scoring tidily in front of the Kop. For Enzo Maresca and Chelsea, it was a poor one to concede.

Crossing from the right, Mohamed Salah cut inside Malo Gusto, crossing on his left foot into the space between Sanchez and his defence. Darwin Nunez at the near post was offside but saw the ball make its way into no man's land, finding Jones in front of goal.

The academy graduate duly took a touch and slotted past Sanchez, leaving the Chelsea backline exposed and embarrassed. For Carragher, it was littered with mistakes.

"It's so poor from Chelsea's point of view," he said after the match. "Reece James does really poor. You see him in that position, he ambles away really. I don't think it is [rustiness], he can see him [Jones]. He's ambling across, he's two yards onside, his arms up - it's lazy defending."

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James was playing his first competitive football since May following injury and suspension. He was a surprise starter for the game having not even made the bench in any previous matches this season. Taken off soon after with his load being carefully managed, the 24-year-old had not been asked to expend himself too much during the game.

Covering for the movement of Gusto to left-back with Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella ruled out through a ban, James spent most of the game in a narrow full-back spot and rarely ventured forward. Carragher still wasn't impressed though, and picked out Rob Sanchez in goal for his part too.

"Maybe he's a little bit tired and it is that [for James] but I also think the goalkeeper is so far away. The fact the goalkeeper is trying to make a challenge two yards out. It's a poor touch from Curtis Jones really, he's at full stretch.

"Reece James hasn't done well enough and it's really poor goalkeeping. Chelsea need a goalkeeper if they are going to challenge next season. As soon as Jones makes that poor touch, he's got to be all over that."

Sanchez had already been under pressure for Chelsea after wayward first-half passes left his side struggling. The Spaniard was also let off when Jones bustled a shot past him in the box, going down and being given a penalty. VAR overturned that with Sanchez judged to have made adequate contact with the ball, but it was a warning sign Chelsea did not heed.