Liverpool’s late-season problems reared their ugly head again
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacts on the touchline during the Premier League match at Anfield. Photo credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.
JURGEN Klopp’s Anfield farewell has two more games remaining after this Eberechi Eze-inspired Crystal Palace win, but as a deflated crowd made its way home last night, it was hard not to see this as the end of his last ever title run.
The “Last Dance” has a few more games left and, who knows, possibly some more twists and turns left in the championship contest with Manchester City and Arsenal.
But what a time for Liverpool to lose their first home league game, since Leeds won here 533 days ago, and what a time to record a second Anfield league defeat in 59 games.
Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold returned from their respective two-month injury absences but Liverpool’s late-season problems again reared their ugly head, as they had in Thursday’s embarrassing home Europa League loss to Atalanta.
“You have to ask these questions, what it means for the title race and the answer is pretty easy,” said Klopp.
“If we play like we did in the first half why should we win the league? If we play like we did in the second half then we can be in football games and then we will see how many we can win.
“We have to still be around when the other guys struggle, if they struggle. But we have to win football games anyway and now we start a new string of four away games so it won’t be easy.”
Yet, even before that midweek Italian job, there had been warning signs - the Reds had conceded first to Luton, Manchester City and Brighton in recent home games - and the latest visitors exploited them fully in a first half in which they led by one but would not have been flattered by a three-goal advantage.
It took a breathtaking goalline clearance from Andy Robertson, sprinting back to hook clear Jean-Philippe Mateta’s finish after he was put clean through by Eze on 17 minutes to prevent Palace extending a lead they had taken three minutes earlier.
Attacking Liverpool’s right flank and taking on young defender Conor Bradley, Tyrick Mitchell reached the by-line and pulled the ball back for the unmarked Eze to bury a simple finish from just outside the six-yard box.
There were half-chances, just before the break, from Michael Olise’s long shot and Mateta’s near-post header but, although Liverpool enjoyed the bulk of possession, when they did threaten the Palace goal, Klopp’s men found keeper Dean Henderson in inspired form.
A Robertson corner sparked a scramble just before the half-hour but, with Henderson beaten for once, Wataru Endo struck the loose ball against the Palace bar.
Henderson was called into action, soon after, keeping out a spectacular flying effort from Luis Diaz at his far post then saving a rare shot on goal from a subdued Mo Salah.
Anfield was becoming increasingly rattled, especially with this game coming so soon after Thursday’s embarrassing 3-0 home loss. That will, surely, end Liverpool’s European interest this season and meant the Palace game was the first of just three remaining at Anfield before Klopp quits the club in the summer.
Dominik Szobszlai was thrown on by Klopp, in an attempt to get a grip on proceedings, and Henderson continued a productive afternoon with a brilliant reflex save to deny Darwin Nunez from six yards.
As the half progressed, Palace visibly fatigued and an anxious home crowd could smell blood. They might have seen some, but Curtis Jones couldn’t reach Cody Gakpo’s brilliant low cross and Joachim Andersen cleared well, by volleying over his own bar from Szoboszlai’s lethal-looking cross.
And on 72 minutes, it appeared certain that substitute Diogo Jota was about to equalise, as he connected with Szobszlai’s square ball, with the keeper out of position, but his goalbound effort was blocked by former Liverpool defender Nathaniel Cline.
Palace still threatened, and Alisson was required to block a close-range effort from Mateta on 74 minutes, conceding a corner from which Liverpool, really, should have been level.
The Reds broke upfield speedily, with Gakpo freeing Jones beyond the trailing Palace defence but, with only Henderson to beat, he screwed his shot well wide.
They were two extraordinary misses that summed up an afternoon high on drama and tension but low on quality with Salah seeing his side’s last decent chance of the day blocked by Mitchell in added time.
“We had to defend a lot and the players did it for the team,” said manager Oliver Glasner. “They always supported each other in defence, that’s the most important thing. I could see it from the first second today.”
Alisson 6; Bradley 5 (Alexander-Arnold 48, 6), van Dijk 5, Konate 5, Roberston 7; Jones 5 (Elliott 82), Endo 5 (Szoboszlai 45, 6), Mac Allister 6; Salah 5, Nunez 5 (Jota 66, 5), Diaz 6 (Gakpo 66, 7).
Gomez, Gravenberch, Kelleher, Quansah.
Henderson 9; Munoz 7, Clyne 7 (Ward 77, 6), Andersen 8, Lerma 7, Mitchell 7; Wharton 7, Hughes 7 (Riedewald 77, 5), Eze 7 (Schlupp 77, 5); Olise 7 (Ayew 68, 5) Mateta 7 (Edouard 89).
Tomkins, Ahamada, Matthews, Ozoh.
C Kavanagh 7
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