Reds lack a knockout blow
JURGEN KLOPP went toe-to-toe with his old foes Bayern Munich last night but Liverpool failed to land any telling blows in this last-16 first leg battle.
The Reds were held to a goalless draw but will take comfort in the fact Bayern did not nick an away goal in an end-to-end game at Anfield.
Liverpool manager Klopp spent seven years tussling with Bayern in Germany as Borussia Dortmund boss.
That came after he was overlooked for the Munich job in favour of Jurgen Klinsmann. Klopp would topple Bayern to claim the title twice in 2011 and 2012 but in the 2013 Champions League final his Dortmund side came up short against their rivals.
Klopp and Liverpool’s bid to beat Bayern was made more difficult by defensive problems with Virgil van Dijk suspended and Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez both out injured.
That left Fabinho having to face the competition’s top scorer Robert Lewandowski. It would not be an easy night for the midfielder-turned centre-back alongside Joel Matip in the heart of the defence.
There are 10 European Cups between these sides but it is six years since Bayern’s last and 14 since the Reds lifted the trophy in Istanbul.
Liverpool’s focus has more been on ending their 29-year wait for an English league title this season but with their European history they still want to challenge for this one.
They had the first chance as a long ball from Jordan Henderson found Mohamed Salah but he was stretching and could not get enough power on it.
Then Matip’s attempted clearance at the other end cannoned off keeper Alisson from close range after Serge Gnabry’s cross found
him. Liverpool were struggling without Van Dijk at the back and Kingsley Coman found the side netting when in space.
They were certainly shaky but there were also gaps in the Bayern backline and Salah should have scored with a back-post header when Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed for him.
Sadio Mane then squandered a glorious chance when Roberto Firmino – who overcame a virus to start – had a shot deflected into his path.
It was a frantic game that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Gnabry forced Alisson into a save down low before an overhead kick from Mane at the other end went high and wide. Bayern were struggling to contain Liverpool when they attacked and Matip turned wide after some clever play from Salah and Firmino.
A mistake by Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer almost gifted the hosts the lead after the restart when his clearance hit Andy Robertson but Salah could not control.
Gnabry’s long-range effort was not far away as Bayern continued to threaten at the other end. An out of sorts Salah then saw a clever dribble into the Bayern area come to nothing as he collided with teammate Gini Wijnaldum after going past his marker.
Klopp threw on James Milner for Naby Keita and Divock Origi replaced Firmino to try to shake things up and break the disciplined defending of the Germans.
And then Neuer turned round Mane’s low diving header late on to make sure it ended all square ahead of next month’s return.