BEVERLY HILLS, December 31, (THEWILL) – For the second match in a row, in what would have been very unlikely last season, English Premier League champions Liverpool were frustrated by a team in the lower half of the League table. In a year that saw the Reds win their first-ever Premier League title since 1990, their last match of 2020 ended in an uncharacteristically lacklustre fashion with a stalemate at St. James’ Park in Newcastle.
Liverpool had their regulars: free-scoring Egyptian Mohammed Salah, tough Senegalese striker Sadio Mane and tricky Brazilian Roberto Firmino, yet the goals did not materialise as they so often did in the record-setting season before this. Just as in the previous match, an animated Jurgen Klopp on the sidelines watched as the clock ticked away and the match ground to an end with nothing to celebrate.
There are possibilities to explain why the dreaded attacking trio of the men from Anfield were not at their clinical best. Exhaustion is a possible cause just as it could also be the threat of a resurgent and competitive Manchester United, who have climbed up to second placed behind the Reds of Anfield, breathing down their necks as their keep up the chase or it could very simply be their loss of that clinical edge that made them so devastatingly efficient at scoring goals.
Whatever the explanation is, the point that their performances in these recent draws against second team from bottom West Bromwich Albion and 14th placed side Newcastle have been below expectations and the conclusion that can be arguably drawn is that Klopp’s charges are definitely having a wobble in the defence of their Premier League title this season.
The German manager paid attention to the positives as he is wont to do the moment Liverpool gets mired in a stodgy, sticky spell. In his post-match comments, the 53-year-old manager said he was not even thinking about their position on the League table, though he was candid enough to admit how nice it was being on top of the standings.
“[Being top] is nice but it doesn’t mean anything,” Klopp said after the game. “We drew tonight and we are still top of the table so that just shows how difficult the season is for everybody. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted but it’s not the worst thing in the world and there are worse things happening.”
As philosophical as Klopp tried to sound, there are very real problems for his side. This season for instance, they have dropped eight points against teams in the bottom six of the table. Those kinds of failings go to prove Klopp’s point of this being a difficult season but these are the failings that may prove costly in this strange, unpredictable campaign in the defense of their title.
It ought to bother Klopp as, coming from their previous draw, this is the first time Liverpool have failed to score in a Premier League game this season. Though, no one will bet against Liverpool returning to goals galore next year, other teams are taking notes. As the Reds stumble and falter, the chasing pack are closing in with Manchester United in the race to jump ahead of them.
A disturbing statistic from the Newcastle game is that Liverpool were actually outplayed for a prolonged period in the first half by an out of form Newcastle. Although the hosts’ goalkeeper Karl Darlow was excellent throughout, denying Firmino and Salah on a one-on-one, it could very easily have been an even more costly night for Liverpool. A more clinical side could have made the year-ending game one to quickly forget for Klopp.
Regardless, with three points of space at the top of the table, the Reds end the year where they started it leading the Premiership. However their match ended, Liverpool were always going to finish the calendar year at the summit of the Premier League table. The tough question is where does that take them when hostilities resume if their form does not improve? That query shows that the draw away to Newcastle was an opportunity missed seeing something needs to be done about their away form.
At home this season, Liverpool have won seven of their eight home league games. But, on the road, out of eight, they were only able to scrape two victories. As with other teams in the competition, the Reds’ injury list, particularly in defence, is widely reported. And Klopp revealed after the game that sidelined centre-back Joel Matip is likely to be out for a further three weeks with muscle problems.
Yet, they need to keep their defense tight, get their deadly trio of attackers to start firing again from all cylinders and put more into getting results away from home if they are to maintain their leadership at the summit of the League and produce an inkling of that form from last season to help them defend the title that took them 30 years to clinch again.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
