Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League suffered a setback as Jurgen Klopp's side could only manage a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
In a game that lacked any real cutting-edge quality throughout, the stalemate perhaps felt like an apt result as Reds attackers Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo were forced to exist off scraps for the duration of the contest.
At the other end, the struggles of Joel Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold could have handed Palace a rare win over Liverpool as some flawed defending saw Jean-Phillippe Mateta spurn two golden chance.
ANALYSIS: Diogo Jota shows what is needed as Naby Keita endgame emerges
PLAYER RATINGS: Naby Keita dreadful and two others poor vs Crystal Palace
Here is how the national media and the ECHO's Paul Gorst reacted to the lifeless affair at Selhurst Park.
Sam Wallace, The Telegraph - "They felt a long way from that elite"
"They will certainly not be re-watching this away trip to Crystal Palace any more than is necessary, but the season itself may nevertheless prove pivotal for Kloppologists charting the progress of his era. Once again there were fresh injuries – Darwin Nunez suffering from a shoulder so painful that he could not take a second injection to get him through. The Uruguayan had done so in order to play against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
"Injuries mean that Klopp is still also without Luis Diaz, Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate, among others, but it goes deeper than that. This was another quiet night for Mohamed Salah and at times, a rather alarming one for Joel Matip in defence, in place of Joe Gomez who was injured this week.
"As they chased a winner, Klopp chose to substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold to move things around and accommodate Fabinho in midfield – unthinkable one year ago. The Liverpool manager played down the significance of that decision later, pointing out that his right-back was due a break but even so it was indicative of the general mediocrity.
"These are not valuable single points for a Liverpool team that ended the night in seventh place. The top four is still only six points away but they felt a long way from that elite. Small details but since Klopp came to Liverpool he has won every league fixture away at Palace until this season – “an insane record” he later said - when both home and away have ended in draws."
Riath Al-Samarrai, Daily Mail - "A trudge back down from the top of a great mountain"
"So it is a slog. A struggle. A trudge back down from the top of a great mountain and on to nowhere in particular, signposted by games like this one where the best to be said for Liverpool is they did not lose.
"Goodness knows they gave up enough chances in the opening 45 minutes to do so, and from there they at least they got better, notably when Harvey Elliott got on the pitch and brought a little quality to midfield.
"But this was not the Real Madrid debacle in reverse, meaning a slow start and a fine ending. No. It was a dire start, dotted with the errors of Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip, and it was a mediocre ending.
"And it was against Crystal Palace, winless since New Year’s Eve, and still able to contain Liverpool with ease, barring that one moment when Henderson’s cheek denied Alexander-Arnold, and another in the second half when Mo Salah hit the bar.
"The rest was just the grey shuffle of a tired, weary side making its way to a draw that short-changed Patrick Vieira fractionally more than Klopp. That is where Liverpool are for now, which Klopp as good as spelled out."
Ed Arrons, The Guardian - "A nervous performance"
"After the week Liverpool have been through, Jürgen Klopp will just be pleased that it is over. A nervous performance following their embarrassment against Real Madrid in the Champions League was perhaps to be expected but Klopp will be thankful for Crystal Palace’s wastefulness as they squandered a hatful of opportunities that were handed to them on a plate by some at times slapstick defending in the first half.
"Trent Alexander-Arnold, in particular, endured a torrid opening 45 minutes as Jean-Philippe Mateta spurned two golden opportunities for Patrick Vieira’s side to record their first win of 2023 at the ninth attempt. Liverpool did improve slightly after the break, with Mohamed Salah striking the crossbar, yet they will have to improve significantly to salvage anything from this campaign.
"The Liverpool manager had urged his players to “fight back” after the 5-2 thrashing at Anfield in midweek that realistically ended any chance of silverware this season and this was at least ground gained as they attempt to overhaul fourth-placed Tottenham. That gap is now six points with a game in hand against Wolves on Wednesday that Klopp will hope can banish the Madrid mauling for good."
Mark Jones, Daily Mirror - "Some very, very ordinary performances"
"There were some very, very ordinary performances around Van Dijk, particularly from Naby Keita in the first half and also to Van Dijk's right in defence, where both Joel Matip and in particular Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled.
"Not the Dutchman though. He was strong against Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is a handful if little else, and helped calm a nervy display that seemed to begin where the Real Madrid humbling had ended for Liverpool. The Reds were poor, dreadful in fact, but if it wasn't for Van Dijk they would certainly have lost this game.
"At a time when all around them seem to be losing their heads at the club, he was at least cool and calm, with his full-time frustrations evident as he took Cody Gakpo to task following his disappointing evening.
"Van Dijk is still one of this Liverpool side's leaders, and a player they are lucky to have."
Paul Gorst, ECHO - "Keita's Liverpool career is sadly fading fast"
"Such was Liverpool's fragile mentality at the back that it appeared to be a Palace tactic to play on it simply by closing down and awaiting the mistakes. It was a game-plan that almost worked in fairness to Patrick Vieira.
"Liverpool's best chance of the first half arrived for Jota, whose header from a tight angle could only find the outside of the post. It would have been some finish for a player whose toil and endeavour never wavered even if his quality and fitness levels understandably did as the game developed.
"Keita, who was withdrawn for Harvey Elliott before the second period, endured an evening to forget on his return to the team. If the Guinea international has any designs on remaining on Merseyside beyond this summer he is not showing it in his performances.
"The listless No.8 wanted too long on the ball every time and was outmuscled at every turn by the Palace midfield before he was booked for a sluggish, half-hearted attempt to tackle Michael Olise. The £52m midfielder will always have those who champion his cause, but Keita's Liverpool career is sadly fading fast.
"Mohamed Salah was so close to registering his 20th of the campaign for a six straight season when he struck the bar after Jota's swiped effort hit a defender and reached the Egyptian."
READ NEXT:
Darwin Nunez injury uncertainty for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp reveals painkilling injection
Jurgen Klopp reveals reasons for Naby Keita and Trent Alexander-Arnold substitutions
- Liverpool accident inside half an hour against Crystal Palace sums up tortuous season
- Liverpool next six PL fixtures compared to Spurs, Newcastle and Chelsea
- Why Patrick Vieira and Palace were left furious at FT whistle vs Liverpool
