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Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique believes Romelu Lukaku could be an “unstoppable” threat in the FA Cup final but questioned the desire of the Chelsea striker.
Lukaku has found some form in the past week, scoring twice in the draw with Wolves and once in the 3-0 win at Leeds United.
However, the flurry followed a 10-game run without a goal in the Premier League for the former Inter and Manchester United striker.
Enrique has not been impressed by Lukaku in the first season of his second spell as a Chelsea player, and expressed amazement at how he handled himself late last year.
That was when Lukaku made clear his unhappiness at Chelsea in an interview with Sky Sport Italia, complaining about his role in Thomas Tuchel’s team.
Enrique has questioned whether head coach Tuchel had been behind the decision to sign Lukaku last August, or whether it was taken above his head.
He said: “Obviously it was a wrong decision because of what Lukaku did in January
A laughing Enrique added: “I don’t really understand what he’s done, to be honest with you.
“Obviously he doesn’t like to run, either, another comparison with [Paul] Pogba at [Manchester] United is this kind of profile.
“Ability-wise, I love Lukaku; he has everything. I think he’s a top, top world-class player that whenever he wants to have his game he’s nearly unstoppable, but he just doesn’t want to be there.
“That’s why that signing maybe actually doesn’t make them get where they want to be. They are not fighting for anything except the FA Cup now.”
Enrique was speaking before Lukaku’s sudden burst of form, yet a return of just eight goals in this Premier League campaign has fallen well short of expectations for the Belgium striker.
Saturday’s Wembley clash is a repeat of the Carabao Cup final that Liverpool won 11-10 on penalties in February when Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed from the spot.
It also comes 10 years after Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in the FA Cup final, with Enrique on the beaten side that day.
He still believes Liverpool were unfairly denied a second goal on that day, when Andy Carroll’s header, touched onto the crossbar by Petr Cech, went close to crossing the line.
TV evidence was inconclusive but Enrique believes modern-day technology would have given Liverpool an equaliser.
He added: “I hope Liverpool get their revenge because I lost it 10 years ago against them.
“I believe we should have got a goal with the head from Andy Carroll. In the modern game it would have been a goal in my opinion.”
Looking ahead to the rematch, Enrique, who retired due to a knee injury almost five years ago, claims Liverpool cannot afford to let their standards dip.
He said: “If Liverpool perform as they have been doing, I believe Liverpool are the favourites if you ask anybody.
“But being the favourites doesn’t mean you’re going to win it. They need to be careful because it’s one game and you can have a bad game and you lose it.”
