Comment: Familiar failings leave ’Pool scrambling

"Our season starts here," said Brendan Rodgers boldly before kickoff in Bulgaria, but it was more of the same as familiar failings came back to haunt his side.

Liverpool were hoping for the sort of victory that could kickstart their season, the way Manchester City’s comeback against Bayern Munich may finally get their Champions League campaign underway.

And on a freezing night in Sofia’s Vasil Levski stadium, Rodgers could dare to dream of progress at last — until they came unstuck in the closing stages.