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Daniel Sturridge has criticised Joshua Zirkzee for ‘bobbling’ the ball into Harry Maguire after the defender missed a huge chance in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
Maguire had a huge opportunity to seal United all three points in the dying moments away to top-of-the-table Liverpool, only to balloon the ball over the crossbar from near point-blank range.
Amad Diallo had earlier found an equaliser for the visitors in a thrilling second half at Anfield, in which Lisandro Martinez, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah also netted.
The result saw the Red Devils rise to 13th in the Premier League, while Liverpool will be disappointed not to have opened up an eight-point lead over second-placed Arsenal at the summit.
Though pleased with United’s spirited display, club greats Gary Neville and Roy Keane could not hide their disappointment in the immediate of Maguire’s missed sitter at the death.
Later on in Sky Sports’ broadcast, legendary ex-United captain Keane shut down Sturridge’s suggestion that Zirkzee was partly at fault for Maguire’s wayward effort with his pull back.
Asked whether Zirkzee will have thought about shooting himself, Keane replied: ‘I’m not sure. You look at the angle…
‘Listen, his confidence wouldn’t be sky high after getting taken off the other night.
‘Daniel [Sturridge] has been saying he could have given him a better pass… listen, know your players.’
Former Liverpool and England forward Sturridge responded: ‘Just don’t bobble it into him!
‘You’ve got all the time in the world to pull the ball back.
‘He’s a Premier League footballer playing for Manchester United…
‘I’m not expecting a bobble into me if you’re in that position. It’s a three-yard pass.’
But Keane wasn’t having any of it, placing the blame squarely on Maguire rather than United substitute.
‘But you’re passing to a Premier League footballer, an international player,’ he hit back.
‘He’s not going to give you the perfect pass. Expect a bobble into you. Obviously, it’s Harry Maguire…
‘It’s about knowing your players. He’s not gonna zip it into Maguire, is he? You’ve got to hit the target, Harry! No problem.’
Keane was pleased with the spirit and togetherness United’s players display in their draw at Anfield, which came after four straight defeats in all competitions.
‘Listen, that would have been amazing if they could have won it at the end but what they did was show plenty of fighting spirit,’ he continued.
‘That’s what I asked for at the start of the game and the bonus was the quality of play, to score two goals, they nearly won it at the end.’
Keane added: ‘But listen, well done Manchester United and credit to both teams at the end.
‘Both teams wanted to win it, nobody parking the bus at the end, two big clubs going at it. I think it was a fair result.’
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