Liverpool can't afford to let this title stumble become a slump

A wobble or a watershed? Liverpool’s title challenge took a hit last night. West Ham bounced back from two dreadful results. The Hammers were the better side.

Chants of ‘Irons’ resounded around Stratford as if West Ham had won. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp looked like a man who had lost, berating the officials on the pitch long after the final whistle.

It was strange. The German had benefited from the most ridiculous decision of the game. The opening goal came when Adam Lallana released James Milner into space and the Liverpool captain crossed to Sadio Mane, who scored with ease. The referee’s assistant can claim an assist: Milner was laughably offside.

Mane’s goal could well have been the signal for Manuel Pellegrini’s men to fold, yet this was not the swashbuckling Liverpool who spent the tail end of 2018 emerging as serious title candidates.

Klopp complained about illness affecting his squad, but there are endemic issues that he needs to solve.

The right side of Liverpool’s defence provides a wide, inviting channel to opponents. Javier Hernandez and Aaron Cresswell were both allowed a sight of goal within the first 10 minutes. The injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dejan Lovren are badly missed. Milner, willing and professional, is a 33-year-old midfielder filling in at right back. Inside him, Joel Matip is a lumbering liability.

The equaliser came from the other side, where Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson have been superb. The centre-half and Robertson switched off, though, when West Ham won a seemingly routine free-kick 35 yards out and Michail Antonio was allowed to slip into the area and score with a fine shot.

It should have been a wake-up call, but belief drained from Liverpool. The midfield was incoherent and unable to break down a West Ham defence that was uncharacteristically disciplined.

There was a lack of inventiveness. Naby Keita is struggling to make an impact. Liverpool spent a season waiting for the 23-year-old to arrive after loaning him back to Leipzig Red Bull as part of a £58.5million deal. The thrusting ball of energy that lit up the Bundesliga has rarely shown up in the Premier League. A series of niggles have not helped, but last night he lacked zest and creativity. Lallana is rusty and unlikely to recapture his best form after a series of injuries. Fabinho is talented but there are questions about his mobility. The paucity of Klopp’s squad is being exposed.

That was obvious when the Liverpool manager brought on Divock Origi in search of a winner. The Belgian forward had an opportunity with the last kick of the game but hit Lukasz Fabianski with his shot. Teams with pretentions to titles specialise in late wins. That takes conviction.

Liverpool need to regain faith. They lacked it last night. Klopp cannot let this stumble become a slump.