Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Man United was a tough one to take, but there is still an element of optimism from supporters in the title race.
The Reds again fell short of their best at Old Trafford on Sunday, dropping two key points in the Premier League.
Having taken the lead through Luis Diaz, United scored twice from nowhere, and the visitors needed a Mohamed Salah penalty to earn them a draw.
Here, Henry Jackson (@HenryJackson87) and Matt Ladson (@mattladson) dissect a disappointing Liverpool display, their poor finishing and their current levels of optimism.
Just how frustrating did you find that? Who shone and struggled?
HENRY: It was frustrating, but also so painfully predictable. What is it that Old Trafford does to Liverpool time and time again?
For large periods, the overall performance was actually good, but as was the case in the FA Cup game, the same shortcomings came back to haunt us.
Once again, Mac Allister was the best player on the pitch, which is just normal these days, but he was the only one who was genuinely excellent.
Diaz was good, and his attacking numbers have improved so much in recent months, and I thought Van Dijk was impressive yet again.
A word of praise for Harvey Elliott, too, who has been fantastic from the bench all the season and made a massive difference.
In terms of those who struggled, Endo and Szoboszlai were off it by their high standards – the latter has struggled for a while – and Mohamed Salah was poor apart from his penalty.
Nunez also offered nowhere near enough, and this was a day when his raw nature was problematic.
MATT: I think Henry just about covered it all there, but the lack of composure both in terms of finishing and then in general play when United equalised is absolutely concerning.
The finishing has been an issue all season in truth, we create so many chances and score so many goals, but at times it looks like a training ground session when scoring isn’t essential and it’s all a bit half arsed in the final shot, or an extra pass when it isn’t needed.
I can’t remember the last time I left the ground and thought Szoboszlai played well. It was probably last year. Once Jones is fully fit he should be starting ahead of him, and I’d even argue Elliott should be.
Is Liverpool’s finishing a concern?
HENRY: It is unquestionably a worry.
Admittedly, their finishing seems particularly awful at Old Trafford, though, and the number of good chances missed was painful to watch.
We create so many opportunities in matches, which is great, but the number of goals we score from them is nowhere near enough.
How many five vs. two attacks have they failed to make the most of this season!
This Liverpool attack is messier than the Salah-Mane-Firmino unit, with Diaz and Nunez not as reliable in their finishing, and Mo arguably more wasteful these days, too.
That doesn’t mean that Mane and Firmino didn’t miss chances – they did! – but the current crop feel far more unpredictable in front of goal.
Man City and Arsenal are far more polished in the final third at the moment.
MATT: Salah’s form is horrendous despite his goals in recent games. And hooking your £85 million striker when you need two goals away to United sums up Nunez’s struggles.
Nunez is the opposite of a big game player sadly. He hasn’t scored against any of the top six sides, so no wonder Liverpool have struggled in those games. We need a lot, lot more from him.
I’d love to see what’s happening in training because it all just seems too much like overplaying in around the box.
We’d likely be on for a quadruple if Diogo Jota had been fit this past few weeks, and his return can’t come soon enough.
Is anything else worrying you currently?
HENRY: I’m very wary of overreacting because Liverpool are still literally level on points at the top of the table.
As I heard someone say yesterday, no team in the entire country has more points currently!
There are no major issues, in my opinion, although I would say that getting Trent and Konate back into the team feels important.
Bradley and Quansah have done superbly, but the pressure is now on and they have just shown a few signs of creaking recently, not least Quansah with his mistake at United.
I would like to see a little more from Szoboszlai, following an incredible start to the season, and Salah is clearly short of his best.
We do judge him differently from the rest, which can be unfair, but there is no question that he is off the boil by his legendary standards.
MATT: I’ll pick up on what Henry has said there and the decision to play Konate for 90 minutes against Sheffield United but then use Quansah at United, absolutely baffling.
Look, Bradley, Quansah and Kelleher have been superb, but we’re in a title race with three relative rookies in the back five. That’s not going to win you the league. No wonder we haven’t kept a clean sheet in seven games and only three in the last 17!
What are your current optimism levels?
HENRY: I’m a natural football pessimist if you didn’t know that already by now!
At no point this season have I felt hugely confident that Liverpool would win the title – not because they’re not an excellent team, but just because I think City are that bit better.
This is a Liverpool side who are ahead of schedule, which is easy to forget, so I don’t think there is any shame in admitting they are arguably third-favourites currently.
They literally are with the bookies.
Sunday’s result was a hammer blow, but there is still no reason why the Reds can’t go and win every remaining game.
Their matches feel far more chaotic than City and Arsenal‘s, which isn’t ideal, but they do have the firepower to get over the line in matches.
I still believe in this team going all the way, but if I’m being brutally honest, I do look at them and feel as though another slip-up is more likely than their rivals.
MATT: I personally think the whole ‘Klopp’s last dance’ has added more pressure to the players and is the reason we’re choking.
We’re struggling to win in almost every single match. Brighton was a struggle, even Sheff United was a struggle.
The last time we won a game convincingly was arguably Luton, another one we had to come from behind in. That makes every match more tiring physically and psychologically and eventually it takes its toll.
Unless we start controlling games better, stop conceding sloppy goals, and start being more clinical, it’s going to be a minor miracle to win it.
But then miracles have happened before, especially with Jurgen in charge!
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