Ex-Reds Striker Blames Liverpool Defender for Dejan Lovren's Recent Poor Form

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has come under much scrutiny in recent weeks due to some rather questionable performances, but former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders has leapt to the defence of the Croat - claiming Kop left-back Alberto Moreno could be culpable for his current form.

The 28-year old signed for Liverpool from Southampton in 2014 for a fee believed to be in the region of £20m, but it is safe to say his stay at Anfield has been pretty hit and miss.

At times he has looked to be Liverpool’s most assured defender, but in recent times he has been responsible for a number of extremely high-profile mistakes.

Long gone are the days of scoring that dramatic winner against Borussia Dortmund, and with the club’s heavy interest in Virgil van Dijk over the summer, it would seem that Klopp has little faith in him also.

However, Saunders feels his criticism is unjustified, confessing he feels sorry for the centre-back. Talking to talkSPORT, he said, “I don’t think they get that much protection. You’ve got to look at [Alberto] Moreno playing like a left winger.

“If I was Lovren I’d have him by the throat, saying: ‘you’re making me look like a mug. You’re leaving a big gap along the side of me and I’m not the quickest in the world. And I have world-class players running at me every week’."

Only two teams have conceded more goals in the Premier League than the Reds this season, with Klopp's men letting in at least four goals more than any other team in the top half of the division.