Liverpool title quest stalls again
With only one loss this season, manager isn’t concerned with tie
LONDON— As his team dropped points for the second consecutive game, and with its title challenge enduring a wobble, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was keen to transmit serenity.
After all, Liverpool is still atop the English Premier League by three points despite being held by West Ham to a 1-1 tie Monday. It was the second straight for Liverpool.
“We (have) lost one game in the whole season,” Klopp pointed out. “So the team is well.”
But Manchester City can topple Liverpool from top spot by beating Everton on Wednesday, albeit only on goal difference and by having played a game more than Liverpool.
Klopp could tell the audience in his news conference wasn’t quite convinced by the display at the Olympic Stadium or by Liverpool’s ability to sustain the challenge to end the team’s 29year English title drought.
“I have seen your faces,” Klopp said. “You look a bit sorry for us. We are all fine.”
But a Liverpool side devoid of much attacking flair did rely on the referee missing a clear offside — and having no access to video review — to score its only goal in East London.
James Milner was able to receive the ball in an offside position down the right flank from Adam Lallana before crossing to Sadio Mane to score on the turn in the 22nd minute.
The fortuitous lead was gone inside six minutes when Felipe Anderson sent the ball down the right to Michail Antonio, who struck past static goalkeeper Alisson.
“We scared them,” said Mark Noble, captain of 11th-placed West Ham.
Klopp, inevitably, countered the notion: “They didn’t scare us.”