Klopp’s slack four stands between him and shot at the title
“I enjoy playing against big, top strikers… (United) are not in the best shape, but still they win ugly … we never play for a point.”
Etc, etc, etc, trailing off into what we like to fondly describe as a series of thinly veiled digs at United. That worked out well, Dejan. If there is a solitary certainty you can take from this curious occasion, it is that Klopp is not even close to constructing the sort of defence needed for a serious title challenge.
And there is every chance it will get found out in the Champions League.
It would be easy to aim every available pelter at the hapless Lovren.
Easy to point out he bounced off Romelu Lukaku like a toddler running into the wall of a bouncy castle.
Easy to point out he stood and watched Lukaku as the Manchester United striker headed the assist for Marcus Rashford’s first.
Easy to point out he botched his own clearing header, allowing Lukaku to initiate the move that ended with Rashord’s slightly fortunate second.
Easy to point out he looked on the verge of losing the plot when having two pops at substitute Marouane Fellaini.
Easy to point out the ragged inadequacy of his overall contribution.
But that would be overlooking the nasty bump in the road being travelled by Trent Alexanderarnold. With Lovren, he was equally culpable for the first goal.
Having been beaten in the anticipation stage by Rashford, Alexander-arnold then allowed him on to his favoured right foot and the rest is emphatically finished history.
Ultra-harsh? Maybe. But Alexander-arnold looked what he was – a 19-year-old doing the sort of man’s job that Jose Mourinho reserved for Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young, 32 and 32.
And Virgil van Dijk, the cool-headed colossus meant to solve a variety of defensive ills, was hardly convincing either. Another who has been talked up in recent weeks, Loris Karius, was, at best, eccentric in his positioning for that slightly deflected Rashford strike. Karius had little else to do. United were supremely organised and, led by the outstanding Eric Bailly, defended superbly. After Rashford’s burst, though, they were not worth watching, unless watching a stationary bus is your thing.
Blimey, they ended up with a midfield three of Matic, Fellaini and Mctominay.
With Liverpool’s front three crowded out and little inspiration coming from James Milner, Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-chamberlain, it made for an impasse only broken by Bailly’s bizarre own goal.
In the parameters of the intense local rivalry, this result was of considerable significance, but, in the grand scheme of this season, it will probably change little.
United’s top-four finish now seems pretty much secured and Liverpool have shown enough over the past two months to suggest they will comfortably hold on to their Champions League place.
But if top-four finishes are not to be the limit of his ambition, Klopp needs to realise he has a defence still some way short of top class. And act accordingly in the summer.