New beginnings but familiar failings for Liverpool

IT has been all change at Anfield this summer, but the same old failings remain.

This time last year Liverpool were licking their wounds after Pepe Reina’s late own goal enabled Arsenal to leave Merseyside with a point on the opening day of the season. Fast forward 12 months, and despite an influx of signings, a similar scene was played out at the same venue as the hosts took control only to gift the visitors a share of the spoils.

The cost of Kenny Dalglish’s Anfield restoration work might have spilled over the €100m barrier but failure to defeat Sunderland proved that more money and more patience is required before his expensively-assembled team impacts on the Premier League stage.