Joe Cole insists something 'doesn't sit right' between Rafael Benitez and Everton after they fell behind in the Merseyside derby.
The Toffees were 2-1 down at half-time at Goodison Park, with Demarai Gray halving the deficit after goals from Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and star forward Mohamed Salah.
Everton fans - who showed their ire towards the players during Sunday's defeat at Brentford - were seen leaving Goodison Park after just 20 minutes of the derby, therefore missing Gray's strike in the 38th minute.
And former Reds midfielder Cole believes the decision to appoint Liverpool 'legend' Benitez was a 'bad one', as he also slammed the club's recruitment over the past decade.
'I feel Rafael Benitez at Everton doesn't sit right,' Cole told Amazon Prime Video.
'They have hit a bump in the road and for fans to be leaving after 20 mins shows for me whoever made that decision to bring him in, it is a bad one.
'Rafa is such a legend at Liverpool. I feel for the fans because the money that has been spent on this club over the last 10 years, they should be in a better position than they are.
'Players and managers over the years have to take responsibility, but equally the recruitment has not been good enough.
'This looks like the gap between Liverpool and Everton is huge.'
Everton - who went into the derby on a seven-game winless streak - went behind in the ninth minute when Henderson brilliantly converted Andy Robertson's cut-back with his left foot.
A quick Reds break then saw Salah double the lead inside 20 minutes, but Gray brought the Toffees back into it after hitting an effort under Alisson.
