Liverpool fans were dreaming of witnessing history this time last year, with the Reds looking to win a treble that is unprecedented in the English game.
It’s a very different story now, with Jurgen Klopp’s side in with a chance of silverware this season – and facing an uphill battle to make the top four.
They are ninth in the Premier League – 21 points behind leaders Arsenal and 10 points off the Champions League places – while their FA Cup defense was ended in dramatic fashion by Brighton’s 92nd-minute winner.
It was the second time in as many weeks that they had lost at Brighton, who are three places above them in the league.
“This season hasn’t been much better,” stand-in captain Andy Robertson told ITV Sport after Kaoru Mitoma’s stunning extra-time winner.
“At the start of the year, we wanted a fresh start but it didn’t happen – we’ve been worse. In the league, we haven’t been good enough and now we’re both out of the cup.”
What went wrong for Liverpool?
A grueling schedule in pursuit of the quadruple last season certainly played a part in the struggles. A 63-game season — with a lot riding on it with each game — will have an impact on any team.
The effect appears to have been psychological as well as physical, with Reds midfielder Thiago Alcantara recently admitting he was so close to winning all four trophies – he won the League Cup and FA Cup but missed out on the Premier League on the final day. Losing and losing in the Champions League final – it was hard to take.
Injuries have also played their part, with Klopp rarely fielding his strongest XI. The defense that faced Real Madrid in the showpiece Paris final have played together once this term.
Mohamed Salah didn’t have the threat or impact of last season – although he had a quiet second half last term, before signing a lucrative new contract last season.
His colleagues in the front three who were so lethal to Klopp are either rarely getting a run of games – in the case of Roberto Firmino – or have been sold, as Sadio Mane went to Bayern Munich in the summer.
The injured Luis Diaz, who has been dangerous since signing from Porto last January, is a major omission and has yet to fully convince £85m summer recruit Darwin Nunez.
The midfield industry that led the Reds to an almost historic quadruple suddenly looked labored and lopsided just months later, while smaller midfielders – Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – never made a lasting impact at Anfield. What did
Klopp preferred 18-year-old Stefan Bajsic to play against Brighton ahead of captain Jordan Henderson, vice-captain James Milner, stalwart Fabinho and Oxlade-Chamberlain, as he did against Chelsea last weekend.
Still, the squad and manager certainly have enough quality to have won just one of their six games so far in 2023.
“You can’t put your finger on one thing, it’s more than that,” Robertson added. “You could tell we weren’t as confident in front of goal and we were a bit open in defence. We had two clean sheets today but then went on to concede two goals.
“We need to get the trust back, that’s easier said than done, and that’s how we’ll get results.”
Liverpool need that confidence urgently as they head into a big month.
In February they face city rivals Everton, Champions League chasers Newcastle United and Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Despite admitting there were positives to take from the Brighton game, Klopp accepted his side needed to improve.
“We have to improve, the body language, a few guys have to improve a lot,” he said.
“But the last game here we couldn’t have won. I don’t think anybody would have been surprised today if we had won the game.”
Ahead of the FA Cup tie, Klopp defended himself amid Liverpool’s struggles, insisting he had not become a bad manager overnight, but to end the season after one of the greatest campaigns in the club’s history. It will require all the administrative effort. Disappointment
