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Ryan Gravenberch is far from the biggest problem that Liverpool is facing at the moment, but Reds legend Steve Nicol says he shouldn't escape criticism amid the current run of dire results.
After a 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest, all of the Liverpool players have been criticized in one way or another, with Virgil van Dijk admitting that they had let Arne Slot down at the final whistle.
But Nicol has picked out Gravenberch as a player who has not performed to the same heights as last season, when he was one of the best players in the Premier League en route to Liverpool securing the title.
"This is a guy who, no question after Salah and maybe Van Dijk, was Liverpool's best player last year," Nicol said on ESPN. "He was in the right place at the right time, made decisions, started attacks.
"His main job is to be that block in front of the back four, orders the other two around, let them go forward when they can and he fills in behind and covers the holes.
"He has done none of that this year. I know he missed a couple of games but he absolutely has done none of that. Gravenberch is another one who, as fantastic as he was last year, has completely disappeared again."
While Van Dijk said the Liverpool players must take responsibility for the recent games, Slot was insistent that the blame lies at his door as he seeks a solution.
"How bad [the result is], that is difficult to measure, but it was very bad of course," he said. "Playing at home, losing 3-0, no matter which team you face is, of course, a very, very, very bad result.
"Unexpected if you look at the first half-hour of the game [because] in my opinion [it was] a good start from us. [I] haven't seen us creating so much in the first half-hour of a game maybe throughout the whole season.
"I'm not sure because I don't remember every single game now, but we were able to create a lot. The first time they arrived in our box, they scored a goal and it's a very difficult cocktail to drink, or to have, if you miss out on your own chances and almost every time you concede one, the ball goes in.
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"It is my responsibility. If we win or lose, it is my responsibility. But what I also see is the team and, by the way, our fans as well stay until the end, support the team until the end and the players keep on trying until the end.
"What I also saw today, but it wasn't at City — and at City we are not the only team that struggles in the first half — and in every other game we've played, we've been the dominant team and we were able to create chances."
Liverpool.com says: Picking out Gravenberch feels very harsh. He started the season well but the players around him have been poor. He is far from Liverpool's biggest concern at the moment.
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