Liverpool left frustrated by Everton draw

Liverpool missed a chance to regain top spot from Manchester City after being held 0-0 by Everton.

Two months after blowing the chance to go 10 points clear, Liverpool are not even top of the Premier League any more.

With nine matches to go, it is advantage Manchester City. Retaining the title is in the hands of the champions.

City are a point ahead of Liverpool thanks to their 1-0 win at Bournemouth and Jurgen Klopp’s side being held 0-0 by Everton yesterday.

The stalemate wasn’t a blip in Liverpool’s quest to end a 29-year topflight title drought, but the latest in a worrying trend for Klopp.

His players have drawn four of their last six league matches to hand the initiative to Pep Guardiola’s City.

Blame the weather, not the players, according to Klopp.

‘‘[A] very, very difficult game for different reasons,’’ Klopp told broadcaster Sky Sports.

‘‘A wild opponent and – I know people don’t like it when I say this – the wind came from all different directions, you saw that in a lot of situations.

‘‘It didn’t help any football play, especially when the ball was in the air, which it was a lot.

‘‘In a game that was difficult to control because of those things, we had I think three or four really big chances,’’ Klopp said.

Chelsea remain sixth, a 2-1 victory at relegation-threatened Fulham putting Maurizio Sarri’s team one point behind Arsenal and within two of Machester United, with a game in hand.