Shearer Blasts Liverpool's Defense: Is the Reds' Form Gone?
25 January 2026
The Reds lack killer instinct.
Shirer’s verdict on Liverpool's defense
Alan Shearer, a legend of English football, attacked Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool's defense, saying the team has major problems after their Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.
Shearer directed direct criticisms at van Dijk and his defenders, claiming Liverpool are easily beaten, especially defensively, after Saturday's 3-2 loss at the Vitality Stadium.
Speaking on BBC, he said Liverpool have become fragile, and it's easy to play against them, especially at the back.
He added that the first goal involved countless errors and that van Dijk should have cleared, then challenged after the first mistake, but he didn't.
He continued that every problem Liverpool faced stems from that moment. We criticized van Dijk, but the full-backs Kirkiz and Frimbong, and Joe Gomez in midfield, deserved attention.
And he added that he didn't know what Frimbong was thinking or where he was headed. You have to sniff danger and sense the threat—look at Kirkiz.
Then he broadened the critique: Salah, Florian Wirtz, and Cody Gakpo wasted several promising chances.
He asked where the killer instinct had gone. The two goals came from set-pieces; that's fine, but they reached good positions and he thought, just put the ball in the net.
He added that they reach good zones but squander opportunities too often, and that is why I say they have become a weak side.
Liverpool have earned only 4 points from their last 5 league games, failing to climb into the top four. With United, Chelsea, Brentford, and Newcastle playing on Sunday, they could drop to eighth.
Shearer concluded that those results are draws, but when you don't beat Leeds, Fulham, and Burnley, the performance against Arsenal was good, yet it shows big problems at Anfield.
Punchline time: If defending were an art, Liverpool would be a mural with holes. And if defending were a sport, Klopp would coach a team of mime players—great movement, zero sound defense.
