A week to define Liverpool’s season, Jurgen Klopp had said. A Champions League week, he called it. And so it proved: except that it was a week to all but rule Liverpool out of next season’s Champions League. Over nine days, they took two points. Newcastle secured nine and now Liverpool are 12 points and four places off the top four. Jurgen Klopp has orchestrated some stunning comebacks in his time, and recovering from 2-0 down against Arsenal to halt the league leaders certainly wasn’t bad, but salvaging a top-four finish from here looks beyond him.
Their week showed different aspects of their season: the second-half collapse at Manchester City of the side Klopp once called the mentality monsters, but who now feel unable to deal with the setbacks; a second mediocre stalemate of the campaign with Chelsea; a wretched first half-hour against Arsenal, featuring more defensive deficiencies and in yet another game when Liverpool conceded first, and a barnstorming final hour.
