Liverpool’s lack of focus proves costly

There can be only one rational explanation for a Liverpool display of such unadulterated paucity, and it should be a grave cause for concern on the other side of Stanley Park.

It’s the Merseyside derby tomorrow and the team representing the red half of the city must have been saving themselves to help them secure local bragging-rights.

Nicklas Bendtner needed no second invitation to exploit the situation to all but extinguish their vanquished opponents’ largely theoretical Champions League hopes.