Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has criticised Napoli defenders, Mario Rui and Kalidou Koulibaly after Liverpool defeated the Italians 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday. Napoli knew they would qualify for the Champions League last 16 if they avoided defeat at Anfield, while Liverpool had to win the game to go through.
The Premier League club took the lead through Mohamed Salah 10 minutes before half time.
The Egypt international stole the ball off left-back Rui and took on Koulibaly.
Salah sent Koulibaly the wrong way and slotted the ball under goalkeeper David Ospina.
Ferdinand was not impressed with the defending from Rui or Koulibaly for the goal.
The former England centre-back also felt goalkeeper Ospina made it far too easy for the Liverpool forward.
“He absolutely shakes off the full-back (Rui),” Ferdinand said of Salah on BT Sport.
“You know he’s strong, you can’t get tight to somebody who’s stronger than you like that.
“If you get tight, he feels you and uses you and rolls you, which he did to the full-back there.
“And Koulibaly, he stood him up, when past him one v one.
“That’s the first real question we’ve got to ask about Koulibaly, the centre-half.
“He came with a big reputation coming into this game and he got disposed of here.
“One v one, stood up, goodnight, and the goalkeeper here gambled.
“He dived out the goal and dived out the way really.”
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