A draw is very rarely just a draw. The sharing of points leaves space for interpretation. Manchester United, for instance, felt deflated by Sunday’s 1-1 home draw with Liverpool. They had, after all, led for much of the match, taking the game to the Premier League leaders in a way few expected. Jurgen Klopp’s side, on the other hand, left Old Trafford with the sense they had earned more than just a single point.
Indeed, it was enough to maintain Liverpool’s momentum when it was at risk of being halted. It kept the Anfield outfit two results (six points) ahead of defending champions Manchester City and added another layer to their veneer of invincibility. Even when so much went against them at the home of their greatest rivals, when injury ruled out their best player, Liverpool still came away with something.
But as valuable as Sunday’s point at Old Trafford was, Klopp mustn’t ignore the warning signs of the Reds’ recent performances. Liverpool might be on an unbeaten Premier League run that stretches all the way back to January 3, but they have been less than convincing of late. The largely insipid display against Man Utd simply continued the trend.
Liverpool being liverpool, they still couldn’t admit they were struggling face with a 12th ranked club https://t.co/tPVdDVQA8A
— baem (@baemmohari) October 20, 2019
Think back to the away win over Sheffield United when Liverpool only left Bramall Lane with three points as a consequence of a goalkeeping howler from Dean Henderson. Until that moment, the Reds were on course for a below-par result. Klopp even admitted afterwards that his team had received a dose of good fortune.
After that was the 4-3 Champions League win over Red Bull Salzburg, a game that saw Liverpool let slip a three-goal lead. In the end, three points were earned, but the Austrians exposed the Reds in a way few have managed in recent times. They set a precedent for opposition teams looking to press high and attack at Anfield.
Then there was the home win over Leicester City, secured with a stoppage time goal from the penalty spot. Sunday’s anaemic performance at Old Trafford could have been predicted. It was entirely in line with what Liverpool have served up recently. The results might still be coming, but Klopp must address his team’s obvious issues.
Rivals: Liverpool were lucky to win v Leicester with a lucky penalty.
LFC: pic.twitter.com/nwdJ24Rrgd
— moghees (@moghees) October 5, 2019
Liverpool have either looked vulnerable at the back, like in the second half of the match against Salzburg, or zestless in attack. That has been the pattern of their recent performances. Klopp has been unable to match his team’s undeniable potency in the final third with a solid display in defence. There has been a disconnect. Last season, Liverpool’s tide covered all shores. That hasn’t been the case recently.
Of course, the criticism of Liverpool in the early days of Klopp’s tenure was that they didn’t grind out a result often enough. That they had to find top form to win. That is certainly no longer the case. Liverpool are winning games through muscle memory and that’s a powerful trait for a team to have in a title race.
Is it possible that Liverpool have gone too far in the other direction, though? That they have grown accustomed to just getting the job done and no more, that they have forgotten how to stretch their legs, how to dismantle opponents in the way that made them so compelling, so exciting to watch under Klopp in the first place.
There is a fear factor for opposition sides facing Liverpool right now. It is, after all, difficult not to fear a team that has won 17 of its last 18 league games. But deeper analysis is required of Liverpool’s recent form. Klopp must recognise that. The Reds are nowhere near as untouchable as their results over the early part of the season suggest.
