Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports & Getty
Topics: Liverpool, Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe
Josh Lawless
Steve McManaman did not hold back with his thoughts on Kylian Mbappe after his underwhelming start at life at Real Madrid continued against Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Mbappe signed for Los Blancos on a free in the summer after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired and has scored nine goals in 18 appearances.
But the France international hasn't quite managed to live up to expectations in the Spanish capital after Real forked out on a massive £128 million signing-on fee paid over a five-year period.
Real are four points behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga and are lurched in 24th place in the Champions League table after a 2-0 defeat to table-topping Liverpool at Anfield.
Carlo Ancelotti's men were without both Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo due to injuries and the pressure was on Mbappe to do the business. But he struggled on Merseyside and saw a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, as well as having a tough time up against Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley.
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And McManaman, who won two Champions Leagues and La Liga titles, did not hold back with his assessment of how Mbappe fared.
"They needed him tonight. Without Vinicius, without some of the other stars, he flattered to deceive tonight. That was his moment (the penalty)," McManaman said, speaking on TNT Sports.
"The press will be ruthless about Kylian because he didn't deliver again when needed to. Madrid are going through a rough patch and the big players are not playing well.
"It just magnifies it. Vinicius isn't here - will Kylian step up tonight? No, he doesn't."
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McManaman also said that the former Monaco star is not "number nine" and Real "might as well have kept Joselu", who produced heroics from the bench last term before moving to the Saudi Pro League.
Mbappe was slated by sections of the press in Spain once again, with MARCA writing that the 25-year-old "lived a true nightmare against Liverpool" and is currently "a shadow of what he is supposed to be".
Ancelotti admitted that Mbappe is not in the best moment right now but backed him over his penalty miss and reiterated the faith he has in his abilities.
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"He may be a bit lacking in confidence," Ancelotti said.
"When things don't go your way, the idea you have to have is to play simple. It's a bit like this moment, but you can't judge him for missing a penalty. All players miss penalties. He has to keep working well. We have to be patient because he's an extraordinary player."