Good news for Ozan Kabak: it cannot get much worse than this | Jonathan Wilson

Liverpool’s new centre-back has had a difficult start at Anfield and struggled again in the Merseyside derby

Poor Ozan Kabak. He is only 20, but he has already become a player to whom bad things happen. Most of his career has been spent in failing sides, but that can happen to a young player on the rise. In that context, a Merseyside derby was an opportunity to really make his mark. Three minutes in, it had already begun to go wrong.

The wind made it difficult. His initial clearing header did not get much distance, but that was understandable in the conditions. The problem was then his apparent lack of awareness as Richarlison got behind him. The defender’s body shape meant there was no chance for him to get back as James Rodríguez slipped the ball through for Richarlison to score. Five minutes later, Kabak misjudged a long pass in the wind and Richarlison nearly got in behind him again. That would be a recurring pattern.

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