Allowing Nathaniel Clyne to leave was massive error, says Tim Sherwood

Tim Sherwood believes Liverpool have made “a massive error” in letting Nathaniel Clyne leave the club during the Premier League title race.

Liverpool drew 1-1 with West Ham on Monday Night Football which narrowed their lead at the top of the Premier League table to three points after their second successive draw.

With Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold unavailable to Jurgen Klopp, James Milner started at right-back at the London Stadium following Liverpool’s decision to send Clyne on loan to Bournemouth in January.

Speaking on The Debate, Sherwood said: “They’ve picked up some injuries. [Losing] Joe Gomez [to injury] is a big blow for them. I thought he was outstanding and it looks like there’s been a mistake with his injury, they seem to have left it a month or so and they’ve said he’s got to have an operation. That is poor.

“To let Clyne go to Bournemouth is amazing for me. Why would you get rid of someone [you may need]. Trent Alexander-Arnold is injured as well so in the right-back area you really are struggling.

“You’ve got Milner who is going to play in there and do his best, is an outstanding professional and is capable – but to let Nathaniel Clyne go to Bournemouth is incredible to me. I think it is a massive error of judgment by Liverpool.”

Liam Rosenior thinks Liverpool’s slight downturn in form extends beyond the right-back area and feels teams are beginning to play more defensively to neutralise the threat of the Reds’ front three.

“I think teams are sitting a lot deeper against Liverpool in general,” he said. “There’s a flatness now to their play.

“We always speak about things at the start the season but it’s now. The winter is when you hit that wall. [Harry] Kane and [Dele] Alli are out at Tottenham. Mohamed Salah is key. I look at Manchester City’s team and I wouldn’t say they are solely reliant on [Kevin] De Bruyne to score all the goals.

“For Liverpool they are reliant on their front three and they don’t have that space in behind to attack at the moment.”

This story originally appeared on Sky Sports.