Roy Keane has criticised Chelsea captain Reece James for not sprinting back and trying to put off Luis Diaz for Liverpool’s opening goal, saying he needs to lead by example.
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The west Londoners fell behind after just 18 minutes in Sunday’s 1-1 draw, with Mohamed Salah racing down the right flank before cutting inside and playing a superb pass for Diaz to tuck home.
Salah thought he had doubled the lead moments later only for it to be ruled out for offside by VAR, before Axel Disasi levelled the scores and Ben Chilwell then had his own effort chalked out for a marginal offside call.
Manchester United legend Keane was far from impressed with the effort shown by James in the build-up to Liverpool’s opener and feels he gave up too easily rather than chasing back after losing the Colombian.
Speaking on Sky Sports afterwards, he said: ‘It’s brilliant, really good play from Liverpool, but James can actually see him running! And James still doesn’t sprint back! That’s the bit I don’t understand.
‘We talk about tactics and systems, but James is looking at [Luis Diaz] running off him. Maybe he’ll argue afterwards, “Well I’m a wing-back and that’s not my job” but he sees him running and he still doesn’t [track it]. You have to sprint back as if your life depended on it!
‘I don’t get it. As brilliant as James is – I love him to bits, think he’s a brilliant player particularly going forward – but when you see somebody run off the back of you, you sprint. You sprint! No excuses.’
When fellow pundit Daniel Sturridge suggested he was not getting back anyway, Keane hit back: ‘If you don’t think he’s going to get back he may as well stop and have a cup of tea!
‘You have to sprint back because you never know what might happen. He might take a bad touch.
‘James is the captain. James is supposed to be leading by example, so people watching that will go, “Will I? Won’t I?” You sprint back.’
Micah Richards actually felt a lot of blame for the goal lay with Levi Colwill, who allowed Salah to cut inside, and was not sure the system quite worked in the first half.
‘Colwill in this position here, because they’re playing three at the back, he doesn’t know whether to stay or go,’ said Richards.
‘Yes, James should be tracking but Salah is left-footed, he needs to show him wide, get him on his right foot. We know Salah is dangerous on his left foot. It’s just that communication in the first half that Chelsea couldn’t grasp, but as the game wore on they grew into it and gained confidence.’
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