Thoroughly outclassed by their opponents on the night and still without a win after three games, Liverpool have taken the baton of “crisis club” from Manchester United for the time being.
The Reds looked tired and broken during their 2-1 defeat against their bitter rivals, whom they beat 9-0 across two games last season. Jurgen Klopp, in his post-match interview, broke down the game and where it went wrong for his side.
The German lamented that while his team was unlucky and wrought with injuries, they also failed to deal with their opponents’ aggression early on. He claimed that when his team finally got a foothold in the match, the time ran out.
Liverpool scored late through Mohamed Salah but were unable to break the opposition defence for a second time. Had his side been at its full strength, however, believes Klopp, they would’ve won the game.
“We had to keep chasing the game and that is not what you want to do. It makes it difficult with their counter-attacking threat. The second goal is hard to take, it was offside, but we have to work with it,”
Klopp bemoaned.
“We are in a tricky situation injury-wise, we got through the week with 14, 15 senior players available and now have to make sure they don’t get injured. We should have won this game, I know it sounds ridiculous but that is how I saw it.
“I am concerned about our situation, but that is how it is. We prepare for Bournemouth and Newcastle now.”
Three games into the season, and Liverpool are without a win – one of five sides with that record in the top division. The Reds came from behind to draw against Fulham and b in their opening two games of the season, but their failure to do so for the third game in a row leaves them 16th in the table, five points behind rivals Manchester City and seven behind leaders Arsenal.
