Gary Neville has never been shy when delivering his verdict on Liverpool, and his latest comments on the club’s full backs have sparked fresh discussion among supporters. Arsenal’s 1 to 0 win over Crystal Palace added weight to his argument, especially with the Premier League champions slipping up at Brentford.

Neville Questions Liverpool’s Full Back Options

Liverpool were recently five points clear of Mikel Arteta’s side, yet three damaging defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester United created a swing that left them four points behind before facing Brentford. Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick To Football podcast, Neville critiqued Liverpool’s depth in the full back department, singling out Arsenal’s alternatives as superior.

He said: “When I was watching Arsenal vs Atletico, I was watching [Myles] Lewis-Skelly. Obviously Jurrien Timber played, you’ve got Ben White and [Riccardo] Calafiori.

“I thought all Arsenal’s full-backs are better than Liverpool’s, all four of them, that’s a big problem for Liverpool. Timber is the best full-back in the league at the moment.”

Neville then drew a comparison to a European giant, adding: “I think Timber is almost, in my mind, I would class as being…do you know the guy that plays for Real Madrid? [Dani] Carvajal. For me, he’s the best.

“And I think Timber’s the nearest to him at the moment, I see, in terms of being able to do that bit and do that bit, do the forward bit well enough, but definitely cuts everything off down his side.”

Arsenal Pull Ahead As Liverpool Slip

Arsenal’s full backs impressed again in the narrow win at Selhurst Park, showing defensive discipline and control in wide areas. In contrast, Liverpool’s vulnerabilities out wide were exposed in the 3 to 2 defeat to Brentford, where Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago scored to overturn goals from Milos Kerkez and Mohamed Salah.

The Reds will know improvements are needed if they are to keep pace with Arsenal, especially in those key wide defensive roles. For all the potential attacking output Liverpool get from their full backs, consistency and reliability remain essential if they are to compete on multiple fronts throughout the season.

Neville’s words may not always land well with Liverpool fans, however this particular critique will continue to fuel debate as the campaign unfolds.