Garth Crooks won’t back down on his surprising prediction for Liverpool’s season

Has a team ever been relegated because of their left-back?

We'd bet no, but Garth Crooks claims it could happen to Liverpool this season. The BBC pundit, (yes, he gets paid to give his views on football), last week predicted the demise of Liverpool due to Jurgen Klopp's selection of Alberto Moreno - after they had just beat Arsenal 4-3. Moreno has become something of a boo-boy for Liverpool fans, and with just cause. The left-back appears to have been born without any defensive instinct, a considerable hindrance for a defender, but there's no way he could directly lead to Liverpool, one of England's most successful and richest clubs, being relegated. https://twitter.com/A_Travers211/status/765115378108366848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Moreno was dropped for James Milner for Liverpool's 2-0 loss to Burnley on Saturday, but Crooks hasn't backed down on his claim that Klopp's side could be relegated. The former Tottenham Hotspur forward has doubled down on his ridiculous claim in his column for BBC Sport this week.

"What happened to Liverpool? Last week, I said that if they didn't replace Alberto Moreno at left-back they would get relegated. I make no apology for the exaggerated remark because the point needed to be made. "However, putting square pegs in round holes or, to be more precise, James Milner in that position does not solve the problem either."

Is Alberto Moreno a brilliant full-back? No. Is James Milner, a midfielder, a viable alternative at left-back for Liverpool in the long-term? No. Will Liverpool be relegated as a result of either playing at left-back this season? No, of fucking course not. Read more: