Dejan Lob-ren: Hapless Zenit star savaged by followers after chipping keeper along with his chest in spectacular own-goal for Spartak (VIDEO)

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Zenit St. Petersburg star signing Dejan Lovren has been mercilessly mocked after scoring a shocking own-goal towards Spartak Moscow, contriving to chest the ball over stranded goalkeeper Andrey Lunyov with no hazard round him.

A litany of Liverpool followers tweeted their mirth after watching footage of Lovren trying a backpass within the first half of the crunch showdown on the Gazprom Area, gifting Spartak an equalizer after Iran ahead Sardar Azmoun had given the hosts an early lead.

After the group who had been bidding to attract stage with Zenit on the high of the desk tried a hopeful cross into the penalty space, former Croatia center-back Lovren determined to chest the ball again to his keeper underneath little strain near the goalline.

Misreading Lunyov’s positioning, his management caught his teammate unaware, looping impressively over the keeper’s dive earlier than arcing underneath the crossbar and into the again of the online.

“It is a very doubtful personal purpose by Dejan Lovren,” stated one shocked commentator, watching the defender, who arrived for greater than $ 14 million from the reigning Premier League champions, flip again in embarrassment in the direction of the midway line.

The veteran spent six profitable years at Anfield however was recognized for his occasional blunders, lots of which sprang to thoughts as a predominantly Reds-supporting stampede of replies greeted the footage.

“Dejan Lovren’s thoughts operates on a totally totally different frequency to some other human being, and I like him for it,” stated one, whereas one other noticed: “That is so Lovren. The proper thought however carried out horribly fallacious.”

Lovren was one thing of a marquee signing for Zenit because the membership focused European success at first of the season earlier than ending all-time low of their Champions League group.

“Lovren is superb as a rule and you’re utilizing his first main mistake in a Zenit shirt as vindication for having an apparent agenda towards the man for no motive,” argued one apologist in a row with one other fan.

“I have been saying all this time that he is an excellent participant,” retaliated the preliminary meme-maker. “Simply not price [that money], and never a participant that’ll take Zenit to the following stage.”

The attention-catching error is much from the primary time that the 2018 World Cup finalist has hit the headlines for uncommon causes.

He was described as having a “mind the dimensions of a pea” for claiming that Liverpool may go unbeaten through the 2018/19 season, savaged for outlandish boasting as Croatia crumpled within the Nations League in 2018 and described as “brain-dead on and off the pitch” for endorsing baseless Covid-19 conspiracy theories earlier this 12 months.

Talking to mysouth.su after the World Cup closing in Russia, goalkeeping nice Peter Schmeichel gave a scathing evaluation of Lovren’s pre-match remarks earlier than Croatia’s defensively dodgy Four-2 defeat to France.

“One of many large issues by means of the previous week has been the assertion from Dejan Lovren, who’s come out and carried out this ‘hey, take a look at me, I’m a very good defender,'” stated Schmeichel.

“‘You all criticized me, however in truth I’m among the finest defenders on the planet.’ That may be a very unhealthy thought to say that.

“Immediately he didn’t present that he was among the finest. His accomplice Domagoj Vida didn’t present that both. They weren’t superb in the present day.”

Happily for the 31-year-old, his newest lamentable mistake didn’t trigger lasting injury to Zenit’s title cost.

Lovren would have watched on with ample aid as Ukrainian defender Yaroslav Rakitskiy restored his aspect’s lead within the 73rd minute, earlier than Russia captain Artem Dzyuba sealed a Three-1 win in added time.

Zenit’s 12th win out of 19 league matches despatched them a commanding six factors away from Spartak, though Lovren will virtually definitely must endure teasing from Mo Salah, Liverpool’s professional scorer on the proper finish of the pitch who’s considered one of his finest buddies.

Additionally on rt.com

Mo Salah and Dejan Lovren. © AFP / Twitter @zenit_spb
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