Jamie Carragher slams 'awful' Liverpool star who 'makes a mistake every game'

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot changed his formation against Paris Saint-Germain, but it didn't really tighten things up at the back for his side, with Jamie Carragher criticizing Ibrahima Konate

Jamie Carragher on CBS Sports' Champions League coverage(Image: CBS Sports)

Jamie Carragher says Virgil van Dijk has never looked so uncomfortable in a Liverpool jersey — in part because of the system that Arne Slot used against Paris Saint-Germain, but also because of Ibrahima Konate's poor form.

Liverpool was soundly beaten by the Ligue 1 side, who could easily have scored more than just two goals at the Parc des Princes. Luis Enrique was left to rue missed chances that could have killed the tie completely ahead of the return at Anfield on Tuesday.

And Carragher felt that Van Dijk struggled with the movement of PSG, whose forward line was sensational aside from Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia not being quite as clinical as they should have been.

"[Slot] went about it with the back five all wrong and they were actually more open with a back five than they would be with a back four," Carragher said on CBS Sports.

"Because they went man-to-man all over the pitch and your three center-backs had to cover the width of the pitch and for Virgil van Dijk watching him tonight in the middle of a back three...

"Normally, when you get to a certain age, you feel in the middle of a back three is perfect, everyone’s in position, getting a bit of protection. This was different.

Virgil van Dijk is enduring a tough season(Image: Getty Images)

"Defenders were jumping into midfield, there was no one to mark and Virgil van Dijk at 34 years of age was having to run in there and he was having to run across. He couldn’t do it.

"People have criticized Van Dijk for his performances this season, but I think it’s been harsh. I think he plays every game and the fella next to him has been awful all season and poor again tonight.

"Konate, he makes a mistake every game, so that’s not easy to play alongside, so I still think he’s been one of Liverpool’s better players, Virgil van Dijk.

"But tonight in that back three, I have never seen him [Van Dijk] so uncomfortable in a Liverpool shirt in my life. I think he will be pleading with Arne Slot to never play that system ever again because he found it so tough.

"But, what I must also say, it’s not just the system of Liverpool and getting it wrong tactically. PSG were absolutely out of this world.

"The biggest compliment I can give them was it was like watching Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona."

Liverpool.com says: PSG, the Champions League holder, is arguably the best team in Europe, so losing is forgivable. There was a huge gulf between the teams, though, and the Reds were firmly second best. The changed system simply didn't work.