Naby Keita has been slammed by former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamman, who claimed the 26-year-old is not good enough to play for the club.
Keita rifled in a superb volley to put Liverpool 2-0 ahead against Atletico Madrid in a game the Reds went on to win 3-2, but Hamman directed the blame for Antoine Griezmann's brace at the midfielder.
This levelled the score back to 2-2, before Mohamed Salah netted a winner from the penalty spot.
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"I've got to say, I think Keita was at fault for both goals," the ex-Reds midfielder told talkSPORT in quotes published by The Independent.
"I know he's had some injuries, but I don't think he's good enough for Liverpool.
"If you score a goal like he did, you should be full of confidence, you have to do your defensive duties and I get the feeling he just wants to play with the ball and when Liverpool have got possession.
"You just can't do that and he's not good enough to do that. The way he got beaten for the first two goals was just too easy."
Keita has made eight appearances across all competitions for Jurgen Klopp's side so far this campaign, with the goal against Atletico his second of the season after scoring in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield last month.
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He has only made three starts in the Premier League so far this season, and was hauled off at half-time by Klopp after being named in the 11 for Tuesday night's match at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The German head coach defended Keita's performance on the night and unlike his compatriot, he did not solely lay the blame for Atletico's goals at the Guinea international.
"First and foremost, it was nothing to do with Naby, we just had to defend the right side a bit better," the Liverpool manager said.
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"We were a bit too wide, but Naby scored a goal and stuff like this and I spoke to him already.
"It is really important to me that nobody thinks we played the first half, or the second part of the first half, because of Naby. Not at all.
"He is in really good shape, but he played three games for Guinea there and the last Premier League game 90 minutes and then today.
"As I said, 45 minutes I think was absolutely right. I have spoken to him and it is all good."
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Keita and Liverpool now turn their attention back to the Premier League for a mouth-watering clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Topics: Liverpool, Naby Keita, Premier League, Jurgen Klopp, Champions League