No energy, no hunger, no confidence has defined Liverpool’s title defence

Alisson is not the first Liverpool goalkeeper to suffer this way. Boxing Day 1981 was the day Bruce Grobbelaar handed Manchester City victory at Anfield. The score that day was 3-1 and Grobbelaar’s two errors came at the same end of the ground.

Sadly for Liverpool and their Brazilian keeper, the similarities are likely to end there. They were in disarray under Bob Paisley that Christmas but recovered to win the First Division. This time their race would appear to be run. There will be no recovering from this.

Liverpool’s decline is likely to be temporary. It will be an enormous surprise if they don’t return with renewed fire and vigour next season. Nevertheless, this is a decline that is now well-established.

Some say it goes back to their home draw with West Brom on December 27 but in truth it predates that. Relative to where they were last season and indeed the one before, Jurgen Klopp’s team have been some way short for much of this campaign. What we have witnessed since Christmas has been coming down the tracks for some time.

Now that calamity is here, the real test stands before Liverpool. Already out of the two domestic cups, they must ensure they qualify for next season’s Champions League while trying to put up some kind of fight in this one. Their last 16 tie against RB Leipzig is only eight days away and the German team will not be feeling particularly apprehensive.

So how will Liverpool respond? They must finish in the top four. To not do so would spell financial as well as sporting disaster. But in order to improve they must find all manner of things that they did not show in this limp defeat against their great modern rivals.

Liverpool must find energy and appetite and confidence. They must find rhythm and adventure. They simply must find a little of their true selves. If they don’t then there is absolutely no reason why a team like Everton — three points behind with two games in hand — cannot overhaul them between now and the season’s end.

Credit: dailymail.co.uk

 

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