Liverpool were the fools on the first day of April as Man City saw the Reds crumble under the softest of touches, the 4-1 defeat making for another humbling outing.
An early start, away from home and against Man City. The odds were not in Liverpool’s favour for their first match back from the break.
And so it proved in emphatic fashion.
Mo Salah did what he does best against City to give Liverpool an early lead after finishing off a brilliant team move, but then came four unanswered City goals.
First from Julian Alvarez to see the two teams head into the break all square, before City struck three times inside the first 30 second-half minutes. Shambolic.
Welcome back, eh?
The defensive display left a lot to be desired…
It became all too easy for City as the same old problems resurfaced for Liverpool, something we were blissfully able to forget over the international break:
Ninth time this season Liverpool have shipped 3+ goals in a game. Abysmal.
— Joel Rabinowitz (@joel_archie) April 1, 2023
Why can’t we just do the simple defensive things? The amount of space through the middle there was ridiculous and it’s happened all season.
— LFC Stats (@LFCData) April 1, 2023
LFC have conceded 3 goals six times in the PL this season.
That’s the same total as the previous three seasons combined, and two of those six were in 2019/20 after they’d won the league.
Similarly, they’ve conceded 3 six times in a 21 game run for the first time in the PL era.
— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) April 1, 2023
https://twitter.com/joel_archie/status/1642144530412498947
What actually happens at half-time of our games? How do they always come out looking so dreadful? It's completely unacceptable.
— barry (@BackseatsmanLFC) April 1, 2023
Ederson would probably get a game in Liverpool's midfield.
— James Nalton (@JDNalton) April 1, 2023
Lazy defending. Horrible to watch.
— Handmade Banners (@KopCraftsman) April 1, 2023
This whole issue with the space in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold seriously needs addressing by Liverpool. It’s been going on for months. He needs to adapt, the system might need to adapt and there has to be cover in those situations. It’s just far too easy for teams to score.
— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) April 1, 2023
City make the pitch big. Quick passes out wide. Runners from deep. It essentially kills this turgid Liverpool midfield. Make it run back towards it's own goal. Which in turn cruciifes a defence who have to come out and engage. We're such a poor side.
— Steve McVeigh (@Boxingscience20) April 1, 2023
City might win the league, but Liverpool have definitely won #AprilFoolsDay this year. Went 1-0 up and made us all believe before letting in 4. 10/10 commitment to the bit #MCILIV
— Harry McMullen (@mcmulhar) April 1, 2023
The attitude and mentality was again under the microscope…
Heads dropped, the fire was extinguished and Liverpool crumbled far too easily. It’s nothing new, but it is jarring each and every time we see it:
It's not just the players who look like they've given up. Klopp does as well.
— Anfield Online (@anfieldonline) April 1, 2023
Attitude all season stinks.
— L4 (@L4Kop10) April 1, 2023
We've already given up at this point. As soon as City's second goal went in, every head went down. Not the Liverpool we know. #LFC #MCILIV #Liverpool #ManCity pic.twitter.com/Ci4JbiWuaD
— LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) April 1, 2023
Such a disappointing way to fall to defeat after a pleasing first half. Liverpool out-ran, out-fought and out-worked from the restart.
Harsh, and possibly unfair in hindsight, to point fingers but it felt like a game crying out for the introduction of Darwin Nunez at 2-1.
— Keifer MacDonald (@KeiferMacD) April 1, 2023
“We’re weak, we crack under any pressure and never look like getting back into games.
We’ve gone from mentality monsters to mentality mice.”– Paul Smith on Facebook.
City away shouldn't define a top-four race, but the manner of the defeat and our inability to beat the lesser sides make it a big concern. Another depressing day in a grim season.
— David Comerford (@Dave_Comerford) April 1, 2023
Far better Liverpool teams than this have lost away at Man City & lost heavily, due to circumstances like the Mane red card. A defeat is the likely result most seasons. But it’s the manner of it today & wider context. This gulf is an accurate reflection of where the two teams are
— Neil Docking (@NeilDocking) April 1, 2023
None of them are arsed. No one tracking runners, slowly turning and watching the play happen in front of them
— LFC Stats (@LFCData) April 1, 2023
Been given a footballing lesson here. Miles off it
— keith costigan (@KeithCostigan) April 1, 2023
No balls. No pride. Not bothering to track runners. No-one tackling. Just timid, cowardly, feeling sorry for themselves shite. Without Anfield this team is nothing anymore. Soul destroying to watch it.
— The Liverpool Way (@theliverpoolway) April 1, 2023
Klopp was questioned about his subs, again…
Four substitutes just less than 20 minutes after City made it 3-1, make it make sense:
Man City went 3-1 up in the 53rd minute. Took another 17 minutes to make any changes.
Bizarre.
— Jack Lusby (@LusbyJack) April 1, 2023
Wonder how we have to be playing for Klopp to think a sub might be an idea?
— SimonBrundish (@SimonBrundish) April 1, 2023
Has Klopp forgotten you could make subs and try to change things up during the match or…?
— Jax (@LFCKV) April 1, 2023
Very weird game. Goal just after half time killed us. Klopp waiting til 3-1 down to make any subs. Bringing on Tsimikas and Ox and taking off Salah.
I’ll always love Trent, but at this level how are you going to continuously ignore danger and not follow your man. I can’t get to…
— Louis Fell (@LouisJFell) April 1, 2023
Points from this fixture was to be a bonus in the top-four race, that’s where Liverpool are now, but what we saw in the second half at the Etihad is inexcusable.
Conceding straight after the break is one thing, the response to it is another entirely.
A painful reminder of the shortfalls that exist at Liverpool that will not be magically fixed with the arrival of Jude Bellingham.
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