They say that decisions even themselves out over the course of a season, but that must be exceptionally difficult for Jurgen Klopp to believe after his team were on the wrong end of yet another highly controversial decision against his side.
Liverpool have failed to win in any of their head-to-head ties against their two title rivals, Manchester City and Arsenal, but in both home games, which each ended in 1-1 draws, they can feel aggrieved.
After the draw against Arsenal in December, PGMOL chief Howard Webb admitted that the VAR “did not reach the right outcome” after a penalty wasn't awarded for a handball by Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard.
It was a decision that arguably cost Liverpool two points but in a title race also gave their rivals a point they might not have had too.
On Sunday, it was Man City walking away from Anfield with a 1-1 draw after yet another highly debatable decision that the VAR, in this case Stuart Atwell, didn't even send the referee to the screen to watch.
"Why would the guy in the VAR studio just think 'that’s not clear and obvious',” asked Klopp post-match. "What must you [have] had for lunch if you think that's not clear and obvious?"
Liverpool’s bench had seemed confident that they were going to be awarded a second penalty of the match when Jeremy Dock’s foot struck Alexis Mac Allister’s chest in the final minute of stoppage time. As Andy Robertson went to take the corner, the Liverpool coaching staff and substitutes gestured for him not to take the corner as they had seen the replay on the screen.
Indeed, most football observers would have thought the same, that it was a penalty. "A penalty for all football people," was how Klopp described it.
The problem here is, that because these decisions both occurred in title clashes, the decisions simply cannot even themselves out. Even if Liverpool receive a debatable decision in their favour in another game, it doesn’t work out as their direct rival isn’t on the other end of it.
And let’s not forget, Liverpool scored a legitimately correct goal at Tottenham and were on the receiving end of an unprecedentedly incorrect decision that was not subjective but factual.
"I couldn’t care less what people think to be honest," said Klopp. “That’s at least the good thing about leaving after the season."
Liverpool's resilience – and quality
That Liverpool even are in a situation whereby they feel disappointed not to have beaten one of the best teams ever assembled, in a title encounter, when missing 10 players, plus Mo Salah not fit enough to start, with your deputy goalkeeper, right-back and centre-back - a centre-back who had never played a Premier League game and was out on loan at Bristol Rovers 12 months ago, is quite remarkable.
Nobody outside of Anfield gave Liverpool a chance of a title contender before the season, and yet here they are, having played almost every game in 2024 with at least 10 first-team players missing, not just battling and competing but playing some sensational football.
Klopp described parts of his side’s midfield passing as "some of the best moments in my coaching career," while Guardiola praised Liverpool as “the best team I’ve ever seen in the high pressing."
"Like a tsunami,” was how the City manager described the moments after half-time, when Liverpool completely dominated against the treble winners for well over a 20-minute spell.
Liverpool's band of Moneyball players
Liverpool’s young players were in the spotlight in the Carabao Cup final last month, but again they deserve credit in such a high-intensity match – against a far superior opponent than Chelsea.
21-year-old Jarrel Quansah was Liverpool’s fifth-choice centre-back at the start of the season, but here he was up against Erling Haaland in a title contest, not looking out of place. Of course, it helps that he was alongside the imperious Virgil van Dijk.
Then there were 20-year-old duo Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott – the latter who has put in an incredible workload in the past month, playing 466 minutes of action in 19 days.
And then there’s Wataru Endo, at the other end of the scale, recently turned 31 and enjoying his first season at an elite-level club and looking more and more impressive with each game in a red shirt. Perhaps no signing in Liverpool's history typifies the Moneyball approach of finding undervalued players more than the Japan captain.
Title chances
Owing to the fact that City play Arsenal, in a fortnight's time, the title is pretty much in Liverpool's hands - if they win their 10 remaining games they almost certainly win the league. Easier said than done of course.
But that they are even in this position compared to where they were at a year ago is incredible. Add in the recent injury list and the three major decisions that have gone against them against Spurs, Arsenal and now City, and it's even more remarkable.
Fighting against the odds, being the underdog, perhaps that's always been the way Klopp prefers it. He and his new squad are certainly showing that through adversity you gain strength.
Ask any Liverpool fan and they'll always say that they've done it the hard way. If they are to win the title this season, that will certainly be the case. But wouldn't that be fitting for Klopp's farewell?
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