Liverpool could struggle to get out of their Champions League group, according to former midfielder Steve McManaman.
The Reds were the on the wrong side of a shock defeat on Tuesday evening, losing 2-0 to Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.
Going in to the game Liverpool topped Group C and knew a win would see them take control with just two games remaining.
But the defeat means last season’s runners-up must now face Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain with the fate of their Champions League campaign hanging in the balance.
And McManaman believes this puts Liverpool in a bad place.
“They are struggling away from home and PSG are playing really well at home, and depending on the results tonight, you don’t want Liverpool heading into the game needing to beat Napoli because we know how well the Italians defend,” he said on BT Sport’s coverage of Liverpool’s game.
“They have really set themselves in a bad place in the group tonight.”
Red Star, who were routinely beaten 4-0 at Anfield, scored twice in the first half with Milan Pavkov getting both of the goals, to give the Serbian club their first ever win in the Champions League group stage.
Liverpool next travel to France to face Paris Saint-Germain on November 28 before welcoming Napoli to Anfield in the group’s final game on December 11.
James Milner remains confident Liverpool can progress
Despite McManaman’s pessimism over Liverpool’s chances of reaching the Champions League last-16, midfielder James Milner remains confident the Reds can get positive results against both PSG and Napoli.
“We just need to go out and win our games and as long as that is the case it is on our shoulders and we have to be big enough to go and do that,” he said after the game.
“We know we can beat both teams, they are both very good sides and we know that but it is down to us and we have shown that we are a very good team as well but obviously we will have to play better than we did tonight.”
Liverpool have already recorded a win over PSG this season, beating the Ligue 1 champions 3-2 at Anfield but were beaten 1-0 by Napoli in Italy.
The post Liverpool have put themselves in a bad position – McManaman appeared first on Squawka News.
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