TNT Sports criticised for ‘unfair’ question put to player live on air as Steven Gerrard apologises to Nottingham Forest

Steven Gerrard apologised after expressing a controversial opinion about a player live on TNT Sports, while presenter Lynsey Hipgrave was accused of putting the Forest star on the spot with a very direct question after the match.

Gerrard was part of the broadcast team alongside Joleon Lescott and Hipgrave at a rainy Anfield on Saturday (August 29).

Despite falling behind twice, Liverpool salvaged a 2-2 draw thanks to strikes from Alexander Isak and Victor Munoz, registering their second successive draw under new head coach Andoni Iraola.

Forest were arguably unlucky not to come away with all three points after an impressive first-half performance.

Throughout the match, supporters criticised full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong for leaving Jeremy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk exposed in the centre of defence.

Even before the match, Gerrard made it clear that he believed Liverpool had made a mistake by selling academy graduate Neco Williams to Nottingham Forest, with the Wales international putting in a solid performance at Anfield.

READ NEXT: Steven Gerrard accuses Liverpool of making huge transfer mistake on live TV as fans agree

Gerrard explained how he recognised Williams' talent from an early age and praised his attitude towards the game.

“This is a player that trains the way he plays,” Gerrard said.

“He comes in every morning, he does everything right, he's very professional, and he's a winner.

“He's very aggressive, he's a competitor, and we already knew he'd got the talent.

“If you put everything around your talent, you can play at this [Premier League] level and you can stay at this level.

“And I still think he hasn't hit his ceiling yet. I still think he's at an age where he can go to the next level with experience and time and more games.

“He's playing out of position. He's doing an incredible job on the left side.

“For me, he's a fantastic full-back and – I'm not just saying it, and I apologise to the Forest fans – Liverpool should have kept him, that's for sure.”

TNT Sports slammed for abrupt question

After the match, Williams joined the TNT Sports panel again, this time alongside teammate James McAtee, who was named Player of the Match.

Williams may have expected the usual soft questioning footballers receive on live broadcasts, but he was taken by surprise when Hipgrave directly asked him whether there was any truth to the rumours linking him with a move before the September 1 deadline.

A shocked Williams replied: “Stitches me there… I’m focused on where I am now, and that’s Forest. And that’s all I can do.

“Of course, it’s nice to see there’s teams showing interest, but at the end of the day, I’m a Nottingham Forest player.”

Fans reacted to the abrupt line of questioning on social media.

One said: “Absolutely no need to be asking that. Not after a game. Not on live TV. Got your clip though, eh?”

Another added: “Why ask such stupid questions? He’s just played a game of football and wants to talk about that.”

A third commented: “Absolutely disgraceful to ask him that after game.”

Williams is under contract at Forest until 2029. The full-back has been linked with a move to Spurs this summer.