Jamie Redknapp has criticised Liverpool for their 'amateur' decision not to replace the injured Joe Gomez quickly enough during their 3-2 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth. The Reds suffered a dramatic loss at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, with Amine Adli scoring deep into stoppage time to seal victory for the Cherries.
Bournemouth's second goal prompted protests from Liverpool's bench as Alex Jimenez found the net while Liverpool were reduced to 10 men. Gomez was on the sidelines receiving treatment for an injury, and Wataru Endo had yet to be introduced as a substitute. Manager Arne Slot and members of the bench could be seen shouting for the ball to be put out of play, while goalkeeper Alisson was visibly frustrated.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Redknapp said: 'You can see it's a nasty injury, you give him maybe a minute or two... then you try to make a substitution. This took them seven minutes before Liverpool decided to make a substitution. Then they ended up conceding that second goal. I find it staggering in this day and age that you're going to have a situation like that.'
Redknapp added: 'Arne Slot is telling his players to get the ball out of play while someone is giving Endo instructions. Just get him on the pitch. It's of paramount importance that you get him on. Get your kit off and get on the pitch, mate. I used the words 'amateurs' at half-time. It's not good enough. Endo should have been on the pitch four minutes earlier. If he was on, the goal doesn't happen.'
Slot explained after the match that he had instructed his players to put the ball out of play to allow for a substitution. 'I tried to scream towards them to put the ball out of play,' he said. 'Actually we were quite comfortable and kept the ball for quite a long time. Then when we lost it, it was the opposite and Bournemouth kept it.'
The defeat leaves Liverpool in fourth place in the Premier League, holding just a single-point cushion over Manchester United.
