'Don't like that' - West Ham legend slams £40m star for huge Liverpool error

West Ham legend Kevin Nolan did not hold back from criticising Hammers defender Max Kilman after Liverpool levelled the score at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Julen Lopetegui was looking for a response after the 3-0 humbling to Chelsea at the London Stadium last weekend and it was a dream start for the Spaniard. A dangerous set-play was won by Max Kilman and a melee in the box led to Reds man Jarell Quansah turning the ball into his own net.

However, that lead lasted just four minutes before Liverpool forward Diogo Jota popped up inside the six-yard box to divert a Federico Chiesa shot past Lukasz Fabianski and into the back of the net.

At half time during Sky Sports coverage, pundit Jamie Redknapp heaped praise on the dangerous Reds man but Kevin Nolan did not hold the same opinion. The former West Ham man, who made 157 appearances for the club, said that there was ‘a lot of criticism’ that could be aimed at Kilman.

He said: “He [Jota] is unbelievable... ball goes across and he makes a great run to the front to take defenders with him. What he does is make Max Kilman go behind his goalkeeper and I don't like that. You're talking about Quansah at the other end who is a young boy, Kilman has been around and I don't like that.

“He should be looking and holding the line. When that ball comes across Jota should be offside. There's a lot of criticism towards Kilman there but you've got to give credit to Jota because he never gives up and is always alive in and around that box, that's why he scores plenty of goals.”

West Ham paid a huge £40 million to bring Kilman to the London Stadium from Wolves this summer in a reunion with Lopetegui. The centre-back has quickly claimed his place in the starting XI but is one of several Hammers men still to settle after a busy transfer window.