The former Rangers boss watched on as his side lost in the most dramatic of circumstances
Steven Gerrard has spoken out on a shock departure from his Al-Ettifaq side who were put to the sword by a former Hibernian ace.
The ex-Rangers boss watched on from the sidelines as his team fell to a dramatic late defeat at the hands of Al-Kholood in the Saudi Pro League. The league is known for its familiar faces and this match, despite taking place between two sides at the bottom half of the table, is no different to those who love Scottish football. Jackson Muleka put Al-Kholood ahead before Gerrard's men go an equaliser through former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.
Al-Ettifaq thought they had salvaged a late point as former Celts striker Moussa Dembele popped up with a penalty six minutes into injury time. The ex-Lyon man must have thought he was to be the hero, but up stepped Maolida again who snatched the 3-2 victory in the TENTH minute of added time. Maolida made quite an impression in Edinburgh, scoring 10 goals in 18 appearances, on loan from Hertha Berlin in the latter half of last season.
The result is the latest setback for Gerrard. The 44 year old has endured a difficult time since taking charge of the Saudi Pro League club in July 2023, only mustering up a sixth-place finish in his first season. They currently sit in 11th place and just three points off the relegation spots. Al-Ettifaq's problems have been compounded by the loss of midfielder Seko Fofana, who signed for French side Rennes for £17 million on a four year deal. In response he said: "I didn't expect Fofana to leave, it happened suddenly." Gerrard also opened up about his team's issues calling the performance "poor" and "hard to defend".
Saudi Pro League Hibernian FC Moussa Dembele Celtic FC Liverpool FC Rangers FC Champions League
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