Philippe Coutinho claims Liverpool’s defeat to Tottenham ‘could have been prevented’.
Goals from Son Heung-min, Dele Alli and a Harry Kane double condemned the Reds to their worst defensive record for over 53 years in the club’s history.
Jurgen Klopp’s side boast the dubious honour of conceding the Anfield club’s most goals after their opening nine league games since the 1964/65 season.
But Coutinho believes that the goals conceded in the 4-0 reversal at Wembley were avoidable if Liverpool’s players heeded Klopp’s regular warnings.
“The goals were goals that could have been prevented,” he told ESPN Brasil.
“It started out wide and we end up conceding one of those goals the manager speaks about. He speaks a lot about this – we’ve conceded a lot of goals like this.
“And obviously in attack we were unable to score the goals necessary to draw or turn around the game.
“We were in the game during the first-half then the goal we conceded made everything worse.”
He added: “The first goal started in a wide position where everyone is involved in defending, not just the players right at the back.
“We have to improve this as quickly as possible in order to win games and fight more. With difficult games like this one, we know it’s these things that decide them.
“So we need to concentrate more to deal with balls like this.
“The first goal was scored after four minutes and the second one after 12 or 13. It’s difficult to play away from home against a strong team when you start like that.
“We have to work hard. Those passages of play, those set pieces from wide positions. We have to concentrate more to deal with them.”