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Kop legends Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness criticised Brendan Rodgers’ tactical approach in the wake of Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Carragher believes Rodgers needs to ditch his “obsession” with a 4-3-3 formation after playing Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino out wide at Old Trafford.

“I said before the game it must be two up front with a diamond formation but he still played 4-3-3,” Carragher said.

“I don’t understand what the point was in playing Danny Ings in that wide position. He still didn’t give the support to Benteke.

“Look at how many strikers Liverpool have on the books, they don’t have wide players. Firmino isn’t a wide player.

“Origi came on as a striker and he’s still got Sturridge to come back so I don’t understand this obsession with playing 4-3-3.

“Brendan Rodgers came to the club wanting to play 4-3-3 and it didn’t work. The great season Liverpool had was with two strikers.

“He’s got a lot of strikers and no wide players but he continues to play 4-3-3.”

Souness added: “It was square pegs in round holes. It just didn’t work.

“Firmino doesn’t want to be out there and nor does Ings, who spent most of first half running back towards his own goal.

“You have to make players feel comfortable in the positions they are playing in. It was only when Jordon Ibe came on that Liverpool had a naturally wide player who was happy to be there.

“Liverpool had players who didn’t look like they were enjoying their football.”

Carragher also slammed Liverpool’s defence for the manner in which they fell behind to Daley Blind’s strike. The Reds were caught napping by Juan Mata’s short free-kick to the Dutchman.

“If I’d been in that line, I’d be thinking ‘something isn’t right here’,” he said.

“Why have United not got more men in there if Ashley Young is going to whip it in? Liverpool had five or six marking one player.

“We talk about a lack of leadership. They will have been told before the game to stand there.

“The modern player will come in and say ‘I did my job, I stood exactly where you showed me on that sheet’. But no-one thinks or smells danger.

Souness believes young full-back Joe Gomez showed his naivety with the challenge on Ander Herrera which gifted United a penalty.

“You have to cut him some slack but he doesn’t need to go to ground,” he said.

“He better learn from that, Herrera knew it was coming. He was cute and clever.”