A VIEW FROM THE GALLOWGATE

THE talking point from Liverpool’s perspective pre-match was the ludicrous kick-off time. I have to sympathise.

Not because Herr Klopp and his expensive squad of multi-millionaires had to go to work a few hours early but because at least they didn’t have to get there by public transport, certainly not on the cattle truck Northern Rail provided.

Maybe I’m being unfair on Liverpool, perhaps the Premier League demanded they travel on spacehoppers or skateboards?

They are a fine team and Herr Klopp a fine manager but why do they need to garner every advantage going when merely turning up gives them an immediate advantage over everyone except Al City.

That Liverpool deserved to win isn’t in doubt, their bench alone would finish top 10, smarter with the ball, industrious in winning it back and even allowing for the fact they had more to lose than us they were just a better team full stop.

They aren’t Pep’s Barcelona, but they did simple things very well - it’s amazing how successful you can be by just standing somewhere where someone else isn’t and progress.

We didn’t have spells of control to get a second wind after the initial enthusiasm, which would be hard to maintain - they just took control and if they had been their usually ruthless selves would have been home and hosed by the hour mark.

This isn’t to diminish our performance and considering we started without a recognised striker we even managed a few opportunities.

We head down to Al City this weekend, the only consolation being our four-game run-in mere months ago would give us sleepless nights.

Frankly the sooner the season is gone the better because for once we can look forward to a summer transfer window.

To the platitude-fuelled pundits calling our defeat a ‘wake-up call’. Did you imagine anybody at the club thought our current squad was the end game for the club’s plans?

Despite supporters not having the advantage of being ex-pros we know what the plan is. We know we’re nowhere near top-six level, never mind Liverpool’s, so a 1-0 defeat to them didn’t come as a hammer blow, merely a disappointment at losing.

Fortunately we’re used to being patronised so it isn’t us who need a wake-up call.