Klopp frustrated as Liverpool succumb to familiar failings

Familiar faces and familiar failings for Liverpool and another f-word also – frustration. Deep, deep frustration. It was used by manager Jurgen Klopp and captain Jordan Henderson after this draw against a hugely committed, highly organised Newcastle side marshalled by Liverpool’s former manager, Rafael Benitez.

Klopp summed it up afterwards when he spoke of how Liverpool had gone ahead with the “goal of the month” (OK, it was only Oct 1 but we all know what he meant) with another superb, signature Philippe Coutinho curler and then conceded to “one mistake” as Joselu was allowed to run free on the Liverpool goal by some woefully lax defending.

The result means it is just one win in seven in all competitions for Liverpool, with 14 goals conceded, and just one in four in the Premier League – hardly the form to take into the international break, and also a blow to their top-four aspirations. Even though they sit just one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea – and also just two ahead of Newcastle – there are fault lines in this side that need remedying. Next up are Manchester United at home which is, actually, probably exactly the fixture they need to try to get things back on track.

“We are having our hard moment,” said Klopp and that frustration was clear as Liverpool also struck the goal-frame and spurned chances – with Daniel Sturridge out of sorts – while, eventually, the manager withdrew all three of his attackers as they struggled. That will have given Benitez a moment of satisfaction as he extended his record of unbeaten matches against the club he managed for six years, until 2010, to five.

This is one fixture the Spaniard will have been desperate not to lose given the opposition, the timing, and as it was the first visit of one of the league’s big boys since that opening-day defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. Following this, and despite Newcastle’s obvious limitations, belief will be growing that they belong in this league. Home form is the key and it is now seven points from nine at St James’ Park. Momentum is growing.

“We don’t look far away,” Klopp added and that, also, is undoubtedly true but there are those constantly neon-lit warnings signs that however potent and brilliant Liverpool can be going forward, they really have to sort themselves out at the back. As was succinctly encapsulated in the seven minutes in which they scored and Newcastle drew level.

First, Coutinho’s goal – which came after the Brazilian collected possession from a looped header of a clearance, turned and shifted the ball on to his right foot. The danger was there but Jonjo Shelvey was slow to close down and Coutinho whipped a wonderful right-foot shot from 25 yards that had goalkeeper Rob Elliot clutching the air as it flew past him and just inside his near post.

There has not been a goalless draw between these two sides since 1974, a run of 67 matches and there was never any chance of that sequence being broken.

Not, either, with these Liverpool centre-halves who neglected to mark Joselu – at all – as Shelvey slid the ball between them. The Spaniard was clear on goal but is not the quickest so Joel Matip was able to catch him, and execute a tackle – only for the ball to rebound off Joselu’s left shin and trickle past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and into the net. It was not an own goal but it felt like one. Wonderful one moment; woeful not long after.

It summed it up for Liverpool. But they had chances. Plenty of chances.

They could have gone ahead before they did when former Newcastle midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum darted forward to reach a corner and flick the ball goalwards with it rebounding off the post. Dejan Lovren swiped at it, missed but was then given another chance with his sided-footed shot cleared off the line by Jamaal Lascelles. Even then it fell to Sadio Mane who, from a tight angle, steered the ball wide.

Then there was a strong claim for a penalty as Lovren appeared to be pulled back inside the penalty area from a corner while Lascelles again blocked to deny Sturridge before, in the second half, there came the kind of incident that Klopp will point to as he argues that Liverpool’s luck is simply not in. Mohamed Salah stabbed the ball forward and Ciaran Clark executed a kind of Sunday league air-shot, missing the ball, the kind of error Liverpool defenders have made, which ran through to Sturridge. With only Elliot to beat the striker snatched at it and the keeper saved. Sturridge had to score.

That frustration grew. Henderson and Shelvey shoved each other after Joe Gomez caught Christian Atsu with a high boot – referee Craig Pawson cautioned him, after considering a red card – before Liverpool wasted a flurry of headed opportunities from all three of their substitutes. First from Roberto Firmino, then Dominic Solanke and, most glaringly of all, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who sent the ball high over the bar from close range. Again Klopp held his head. Would there be one last sting? Maybe so. In injury-time the ball dropped to Newcastle’s own substitute Mohamed Diame but he could not find the power to beat Mignolet who gathered his shot.

That would have been brutal on Liverpool if it had gone in but the harsh reality is they have to do better than this.