Jamie Carragher labels Liverpool “mentality midgets” as unwanted records pile up

As Liverpool romped to the Premier League title in 2019-20, they were widely hailed, labelled “mentality monsters”.

Now, as their alarming slump continues with a historic sixth-straight home defeat, Kop icon Jamie Carragher has damningly labelled them “mentality midgets”.

Sunday’s defeat to Fulham was yet another sorry tale in an increasingly sorry campaign.

Mario Lemina’s first-half strike was enough for Scott Parker’s men to claim all three points at Anfield, and leave a Reds side looking short on energy, ideas and confidence sitting eighth in the table.

Since destroying Crystal Palace 7-0 on December 19 – a result which left them, despite their injury nightmare, very much in a title fight – the champions have taken just 12 points from 14 Premier League matches.

It is relegation form and, quite rightly, speaking on Sky Sports on Sunday, Carragher admitted that the side has become a shadow of its former self.

“So often at these stages last season, Liverpool scored late goals, even the year before when they were chasing down Man City,” he declared.

“That man [Klopp] rightly called his side the mentality monsters and they deserved that tag, but right now, they are like mentality midgets.

“Every time there is a bit of adversity, you go behind in a game, his team is just not dealing well with adversity at any stage in this last three or four months.

“It's not acceptable from Liverpool, that sort of performance, and I'll tell you what, I played in some really poor Liverpool teams.

“These defeats, at home, against the level of opposition, you need to find something from somewhere.

"It looks like top four positions now are a long way off.”

Jurgen Klopp’s men are without a goal in open play at Anfield in over 11 hours and have scored just once this calendar year – from the penalty spot in the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.

In truth, they looked largely clueless in their quest to navigate a way through a Fulham defence brilliantly marshalled by Joachim Andersen.

That apparent cluelessness is backed up statistically, with an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.7 against the Cottagers, according to Understat, following on from a dire 0.25 figure against Chelsea during Thursday night’s 1-0 loss to Thomas Tuchel’s men.

Never before in history had the Reds suffered five straight home defeats, let alone six.

And for the first time in their history, the Merseyside club conceded the opening goal of a game at home for the sixth time in a row.

However you slice it, it is an unwanted record-breaking run of unprecedented proportions.

And Klopp says that, amid their horror run, they can’t think about a top four battle, but must only focus on their next game.

"You can imagine that it is not really my concern at the moment," said Klopp when asked about their top four chances.

"You have to ask, I understand that, but I cannot think about that. We have to win football games.

"If we win one football game, that would be helpful! And then we would see the rest.

"It was not good enough. We conceded a goal, didn't score, lost the game. Not good enough."

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