Standing on the touchline and being on the receiving end of sarcastic jeers from Arsenal supporters wasn’t how Jurgen Klopp would have wanted to spend his Anfield anniversary.
Mockery from the Gunners fans, though, was the least of the worries for the Liverpool boss as a troubling season plumbed new depths on the weekend he marked seven years in charge.
A second Premier League defeat of the season – leaving Liverpool with a miserly 10 points from eight games, their worst such start to a campaign in a decade – is problem enough.
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But the real concern was the manner of the loss, those watching at home able to tick off the list of increasingly regular failings.
Concede the first goal early? Check.
Fail to put pressure on the opposing side? Check.
Drag themselves back into the game only to throw away any chance of momentum? Check.
Have key players massively off form? Check.
It all meant the change of formation that offered some solace against Rangers in midweek was given little opportunity to make a difference, Liverpool allowing themselves to be defensively undone by a vibrant Arsenal at key moments of an absorbing encounter.
Sure, there was the undoubted fact the Gunners received the rub of the green from the officials. But so poor were Liverpool’s comedy attempts to clear the ball in the build-up to Bukayo Saka’s decisive penalty, they were almost inviting punishment.
Klopp would also have preferred not to have his pre-match assessment Liverpool aren’t title contenders underlined so emphatically by his players.
In truth, with a shortened pre-season, the need to mould a new-look attack and the obvious mental and physical exhaustion from last term’s heroic quadruple effort meant a concerted challenge up against an Erling Haaland-strength Manchester City was always going to be a stretch.
But Liverpool now stand 14 points behind early leaders Arsenal. On the evidence here, the Gunners don’t have enough to bother City in the long run. Champions League qualification, though, is now a very realistic aim, with Klopp’s side now having to play significant catch-up on not just Arsenal all their main rivals to secure the minimum aim of a top-four finish.
Sure, the Reds have a game in hand. Would anyone, though, back Liverpool to win any game at present? Those who rode the emotional rollercoaster in the away end at the Emirates are now travelling more in hope than expectation of their team securing victories.
And they’d probably rather not contemplate who is coming to town next weekend. This is a Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in name only at present. Where have they gone?
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