Liverpool’s terrible week has taken a turn for the worse.
A shock 1-0 defeat to struggling Crystal Palace dealt a blow to Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of winning a Premier League title. After the 3-0 Europa League defeat to Atalanta on Thursday, the season is in danger of running out of steam.
We take a look at the main talking points at Anfield. . .
Even the most pessimistic minds on Merseyside would have found it hard to believe Liverpool’s week went so badly.
After the 3-0 humiliation at home to Atalanta, a result that leaves progress to the Europa League semi-finals hanging in the balance, a ruinous setback has made a name in the Premier League even more unlikely.
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Liverpool’s unconvincing form was masked by a late response, but Crystal Palace’s resolute attitude in a 1-0 win dealt a potentially fatal blow to Jurgen Klopp’s goals of winning a league title.
Something close to the best was needed in preparation given the brilliant form of Manchester City and Arsenal, and this unforeseen defeat – Liverpool’s first home in the Premier League since October 2022 – undermined any belief.
Liverpool still have six league games left to answer, but winning them may no longer be enough. Liverpool have noticed Manchester City’s backs in name races before and expecting favours rarely works.
A season that promised so much plummeted dramatically in 4 days.
A recurring trend in Liverpool’s home games is deflecting this season’s aspirations.
They were sloppy and lethargic beginners, and the warring sides were allowed to strike first. Crystal Palace were the last to break Liverpool’s sails by taking the lead in the 14th minute through Eberechi Eze. An episode of Liverpool’s defensive work, which started without an iota of intensity.
It is the 21st time in 51 league and cup games that Klopp’s side have conceded first, and the sudden absence of blank sheets of paper continues to make even matches look like undermining chances.
We have to go back to December 17 and the 0-0 draw of the last Premier League guest (Manchester United) who failed to score at Anfield and, since the beginning of February, Burnley, Luton Town, Brighton.
Poor defense and the situation is not improving.
Liverpool are still at their best, but missed chances in that second half were inexplicable. There were four great chances for four other players but, more importantly, no goals.
Darwin Nunez, as dead as the focal point of Liverpool’s attack, set the tone when his close-range shot was saved by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Substitute Diogo Jota was another culprit, blocking Nathaniel Clyne on a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai. Neither Henderson nor Clyne have had a chance to turn Liverpool away.
It had to look like a destructive afternoon when Curtis Jones came face-to-face with Henderson, and a finish sent out of goal didn’t replace the look.
Mohamed Salah, faded all afternoon, then added his access to Liverpool’s terrible afternoon in front of goal, when his delayed shot was blocked by Tyrick Mitchell.
All of this has combined to undermine Liverpool’s hopes of putting pressure on their big-name rivals.
In a tired team functionality punctuated by offside passes and temperamental positioning, Andy Robertson steadily rose above the mediocrity around him.
The Liverpool left-back played with a power and dynamism that most of his teammates struggle to find, galloping down his flank to stretch a patched-up Palace defence.
A deep and attractive cross to Luis Diaz almost led to the equaliser, but Henderson made a fine save. In the first half, Robertson was as menacing as any Liverpool striker.
However, the Scot’s defensive work was even more important. With Palace already a goal ahead, Robertson had the awareness and speed to clear Jean-Philippe Mateta’s shot off the line. The goal-line generation proved that Robertson was the saviour. . . within a few centimeters.
Liverpool’s left side looked much more confident than the right, where Palace regularly targeted Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate with attacks flooded down that flank.
Robertson, who won the Premier League in 2020, was begging for delight at Liverpool.
The Liverpool manager can hide his sadness as he faces his second league defeat at Anfield in front of the fans since April 2017.
“Talking about this game is complicated,” he told Sky Sports. “The first half wasn’t smart enough, so we showed a reaction. The reaction was that we lost our conviction in the last game. We tried to get rid of it, but it didn’t work out as well as we wanted.
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“Conceding that goal is a terrible goal with a player completely loose in the box. It can’t happen, but it does. Crystal Palace didn’t have many more chances and we controlled the stage better. In the second half, we can softly say that if we don’t score with chances, what can you say?
“The second half was much better, with Trent (Alexander-Arnold) coming on and at that point the layout changed. We caused a mess and had great chances. If we were here and won the game 4-1, we could just have noticed the same game with a completely different result. But we didn’t, so we have to settle for it.
Thursday 18 April: Atalanta (A), Europa League, 20:00 UK, 15:00 ET
Liverpool are famous for their European comebacks, but they will want to produce something special even through their criteria if they are to overcome the 3-0 deficit they face in the Europa League quarter-finals against Atalanta.
If he fails, it will be the last European game of the Klopp era. . . But if any coach can motivate a change of course, it’s probably him.