AFP
Liverpool were expected to push City all the way but the champions have stumbled so badly that their only concern going into Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Everton is getting back into the top four.
As Virgil van Dijk lay in agony on the Goodison Park turf, Liverpool’s season began a painful decline that still haunts them five months later.
Van Dijk has not played since suffering knee damage after an ugly challenge from Everton keeper Jordan Pickford during that 2-2 draw in October. The absence of the imperious Dutch centre-back has been the most obvious reason for Liverpool’s unexpected collapse as they lost their long unbeaten home league record and fell out of the title race.
Ravaged by injuries and suffering from burnout after their first title in 30 years, Liverpool and their manager Jurgen Klopp look so overwrought that rumours circulated after last weekend’s loss at Leicester that the German was ready to resign.
Klopp brushed that off and Liverpool took a small step on the road to recovery when they won 2-0 against Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Anfield will pose an intriguing test of sixth-placed Liverpool’s mettle.
Will the chance to avenge that season-defining meeting earlier this season re-light their fire or can Everton deal another blow to their rivals’ top-four hopes?
After three successive league defeats, a cautious Klopp said: “We are not children anymore, so we don’t think everything is fine because we won one game. It is much more important that we played good football again.”
