Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola bemoaned his side’s poor defending of set-pieces leading to “cheap, messy” goals which cost them a 3-2 defeat and the loss of their 100 per cent Champions League record against Fenerbahce.
On a chaotic night in Istanbul, the visitors twice conceded the lead given to them by Trey Nyoni – scoring his first goal for the club – and Alexander Isak, with goals from Englishmen Mason Greenwood and Archie Brown before Vedat Muriqi scored a 79th-minute winner.
It was the first time they had conceded three in three successive European games, extending their woeful record in Turkey to just one win, one draw and seven defeats and they have yet to keep a clean sheet in the country, which also extends to Champions League and Super Cup finals.
After five successive wins in all competitions they have now lost back-to-back games, but this defeat was far more damaging to morale than Sunday’s reverse to Arsenal.
“Cheap goals. Messy goals,” said Iraola.
“The free-kick is quite far out, through the wall. The last goal was a long throw, the second one Cody (Gakpo) touched the ball just in front of Ali (goalkeeper Alisson).
“In the stadium it was almost impossible to communicate, it was difficult for me to give instructions and the communication was difficult between Cody and Ali.”
Set-pieces were an Achilles heel last season, but the Reds had seemingly rectified that this term before collapsing against a team who had been hammered 6-0 by Aston Villa last month.
“We conceded from a free-kick, a corner, a long throw and that has hurt us,” Iraola added. “We have gone in front twice, we conceded in situations we should have definitely done better (with).
“It is frustrating because it is a difficult place to play and for the most part of the game we were thinking we could win this one.
“The first one the wall we didn’t set properly, the last one when he jumps he wins the ball against three defenders.
“I think before scoring the goals we had very good moments on the ball, very good offensive situations. The thing is we conceded almost straight away.
“We have been dealing well with these situations up to today. It has cost us. We have to do better.”
Iraola defended his team selection after making five changes from Sunday, including resting Isak, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo.
“We have done this not just today, we have done it all season. All the games midweek we have been changing four or five as it’s impossible to retain the starting XI,” Iraola added.
“I trust the squad to sustain the level and I don’t think it is the main reason why we lost. We have to look more at how we conceded the goals as the reason we didn’t win.”
Former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt, in his last match in interim charge of Fenerbahce, hailed a “miracle” result.
“A very special night for everyone who loves Fenerbahce,” he said.
“We told each other to stick together and be united. That’s something I learned from Liverpool.
“We made a miracle tonight, not many expected us to win.”
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