Jamie Carragher reveals who he blames for Demba Ba goal vs Liverpool and it’s not Steven Gerrard
Sky SportsIt is one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history and for Liverpool fans, it is one of the most painful.
With Liverpool aiming to win their first ever Premier League title in 2013/14, influential captain Steven Gerrard slipped on the halfway line to gift Chelsea forward a free run on goal.
The rest, as they say, is history. The former Senegal international raced through on goal and slotted the ball beyond Simon Mignolet to give the Blues the lead.
Liverpool piled the pressure on but were caught on the counter attack as Willian’s stoppage time winner sealed a 2-0 win for Jose Mourinho’s side.
With just two games remaining it snapped a 16-game unbeaten streak for Liverpool and put the title back in the hands of Man City.
The Cityzens would go on to win the league and the moment will haunt Gerrard forever as he couldn’t add a Premier League winners medal to his illustrious collection.
Carragher blames Mignolet for infamous Ba goal at Anfield
However, almost 10 years on, Gerrard’s former Liverpool team-mate Jamie Carragher has attributed blame for the goal to goalkeeper Mignolet instead.
In a discussion on the latest Stick to Football podcast, Carragher made the admission when discussing Dominic Calvert-Lewin missing a gilt-edged opportunity for Everton in their draw with Aston Villa over the weekend.
“I didn’t fancy Dominic Calvert-Lewin,” Carragher said. “I just think when you’re running straight at someone. I’m a defender and I think if you’re running straight at me, there aren’t that many options a striker can do.”
Watch from 18 mins onwards as Carragher blames Mignolet for Ba’s goal
Wright agreed, recalling former Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman’s advice to him about creating an angle before the goalkeeper is able to get out to the forward and set himself.
“When a player goes through one-on-one, and they are running straight at goal, like Dominic Calvert-Lewin did at the weekend; I remember the goalkeepers, David Seaman used to always say at some stage you’re going to have to do something to create the angle,” Wright explained.
“The striker is going to have to do something, which is going to give the keeper extra time to come forward a bit more, but that’s why you want to get the angle first.”
With that in mind, Carragher then revealed he blames former Liverpool goalkeeper Mignolet for the infamous Ba goal that cost Liverpool so dearly in the 2013/14 title race.
“I still blame Simon Mignolet for that goal with Demba Ba,” Carragher added.
“He was so straight going through on goal, there was nowhere he could put it except through the keeper’s legs. He was running so straight on goal that I think it was difficult to score and there was nowhere else he could go.”
Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright were speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.