‘Always blame him’… Jamie Carragher says 35-year-old former Liverpool player cost them massively in 2013/14

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Jamie Carragher says there was another player at fault during Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip against Chelsea in 2014.

With the Reds pushing for the Premier League title, Chelsea came to Anfield with three games of the season to play. A win would have kept things in Liverpool’s hands heading into the last couple of matches.

But as everyone now knows, that didn’t happen. With half-time approaching, Gerrard let a pass from Mamadou Sakho roll under his boot and into the path of Demba Ba. The Chelsea man raced through to put the Blues 1-0 up. Liverpool never recovered and went on to lose 2-0. Manchester City won the title two weeks later.

That game has since passed into folklore, with rival fans still cruelly taunting Gerrard about it almost 10 years on. But speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Carragher has claimed that the Ba goal wasn’t all the Liverpool captain’s fault.

“I know he’s my mate, but that’s why I always blame Mignolet for that goal, Demba Ba,” said the 45-year-old. “Honest to God. Demba Ba was so straight going through. There was nowhere else he could put it except through his legs because he didn’t have an angle.

“I thought the keeper has got to know there is no-one else he could go.”

Carragher makes Mignolet point

To blame Mignolet for the Ba goal is barking a little up the wrong tree from our point of view.

It’s harsh on Gerrard who was magnificent that season. But the buck stopped with him on this one.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that Mignolet couldn’t have done better. Watching it back now, the now 35-year-old could definitely have done a little more.

But at the end of the day, it’s a one-on-one. With almost have of Anfield to run into and compose himself, Ba was always the favourite. Had Mignolet stopped it, it would have been a terrific save.

As Liverpool fans, we’re perhaps guilty of now seeing everything through an Alisson Becker tinted lens.

This kind of scenario is the Brazilian’s specialty. Had Alisson been in net that day, you can’t help but feel he’d have done a better job than Mignolet.

Even Ali lets these through sometimes, though. So, we’re not having this from Carra – who it’s worth pointing out was not playing in the game, having retired the previous summer.

It may be more comfortable to blame the goalie – who had his fair share of clangers while at Liverpool. But as far as we’re concerned, this one unfortunately lies squarely with Stevie G. It still hurts to this day.