Michael Owen criticises Liverpool trio for their part in Bournemouth winner

Michael Owen has ripped into Liverpool's defending which led to Bournemouth's shock winner at the weekend.

Phillip Billing scored the only goal of the game to send Liverpool crashing back down to earth, following the highs of their 7-0 victory over bitter rivals Manchester United a week prior.

The result dented Liverpool's hopes of finishing inside the top-four, which extended to six points thanks to Tottenham's convincing victory over Nottingham Forest - albeit, the Reds have a game-in-hand.

Former Reds fan favourite Owen has hit out at three players for their parts in allowing Bournemouth to score.

Owen told Premier League Productions: 'Virgil van Dijk ends up going in where you think he shouldn't, but then Konate can see the whole picture. Van Dijk has gone in with his man.

'I think it's a 50-50, I think Konate tries to play offside when he can see everything in front of him and he needs to be sprinting back, as it is, Van Dijk gets back in, then Billing and Alexander-Arnold at the back post.

'Trent Alexander-Arnold ends up coming to the back post, totally losing his man, and then it's a simple finish in the end. I think Konate can do better (preventing the cross). But Trent completely loses his man. It's a rubbish goal to give away.'

Bournemouth's goal came after 28 minutes when a ball was played over the top to Dango Ouattara who left Van Dijk flat-footed as he burst down the right flank.

Ouattara pulled the ball back from the by-line, with Konate unable to block his cross and Billing rushing in front of Alexander-Arnold to fire home.

Liverpool did have a chance to equalise through Mohamed Salah, but the Egyptian stunningly sent his penalty wide to allow Bournemouth to take the three points.

It was the latest long line of defensive calamities at the back for Liverpool this season, as they have dropped from Premier League title contenders to a side struggling to work their way into a Champions League qualification spot.

Speaking to BT Sport after the match, Klopp admitted Liverpool's performance was disappointing.

'What can I say? It was never really our game,' he confessed. 'We were dominant in the first half but mostly we put ball in at the wrong moment against a compact side.

'They had their counter-attacks they wanted to have. I really think the spaces we had to play were super clear, super open.

'The rest was more or less busy with covering other spaces, we didn't use that often enough, didn't enjoy the challenge to face a deep, compact side. It's clear we cannot get through with all the balls but it was like we didn't get through and things didn't work out.

'Little things which make a massive difference and then we go 1-0 down, not helpful obviously in the counter-attack.

'They did the same stuff but it was successful enough because we didn't defend it well and then I thought we started pretty well in the second half and then got the penalty and we missed it and after that we were in a real rush and didn't create enough really and that's it.'