Liverpool ‘cannot play the victim’ over injuries after Merseyside derby loss, says Georginio Wijnaldum

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum says Saturday’s Merseyside derby defeat to Everton is “extra painful” but says the club cannot “play the victim” over their injury nightmare.

Goals from Richarlison and Gyfli Sigurdsson earned Everton a 2-0 win, their first success at Anfield since 1999.

The defeat was Liverpool’s fourth in a row in the league and fourth in a row at Anfield, and was made worse by the loss of captain Jordan Henderson to injury midway through the first half.

Henderson had been playing as a makeshift centre-back because of a defensive injury crisis that extends all the way back to the reverse fixture at Goodison Park in October, when Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Joel Matip, Fabinho and Joe Gomez have all spent periods on the sidelines, and the Reds’ tame title defence has largely been put down to such absentees. However, Wijnaldum says they cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves.

“You know what the derby means for the club, the supporters, the players - it means a lot and the loss is extra painful,” the Dutchman told BBC Sport.

“Losing players during the season upset us a lot. We cannot play the victims, we have to deal with the situation and not feel sorry for ourselves. We have to give until the end of the season, it is painful and you could see if on the faces of the players. That is the situation we are in right now and we have to deal with it.

“Winning games in the Premier League is always difficult and the injuries don’t make it easier, we still have a squad who can change it around and we have to work harder to change it around.”