Liverpool’s first loss to Everton at Goodison Park in 14 years has left the Reds’ dreams of sending their manager off as a Premier League winner in tatters.
Jurgen Klopp’s nearly nine years at Liverpool will be over at the end of the current season, one they hoped to finish off with a second league title under their German boss, but the 0-2 away loss in the Merseyside derby has dashed all hopes.
Just a few weeks ago, Liverpool were on course for a potential quadruple but have come off the rails.
A run of four wins in nine games has seen Klopp’s men crash out of the Europa League and FA Cup as well as falling off the pace at the top of the Premier League.
Liverpool trail leaders Arsenal by three points and are only one point ahead of defending champions Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
Klopp apologised to fans after Wednesday’s loss.
“[Leaders Arsenal and Manchester City] must have a very bad moment,” Klopp, who looked completely shattered, said when asked about his team’s chances.
“I don’t know. I can only apologise for today to the people. Everybody who’s with us knows how hard this was for us as well. We should have done better but we didn’t.”
‘You lost the league at Goodison Park’
Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored in a 2-0 victory that will not soon be forgotten by the Everton faithful at Goodison Park, who serenaded the visitors with “You lost the league at Goodison Park” after the final whistle.
Klopp could only shake his head about Calvert-Lewin’s 58th-minute goal from a corner kick, saying Everton have had that set piece in their playbook all season and his players were prepared for it.
Klopp said he was disappointed “with a lot of things”.
“We let it happen exactly the game that Everton wanted. Two goals from set pieces. We created a lot but didn’t score. We were in a rush, not really clear enough. But we were not good enough, that’s what we have to admit, absolutely.
“Of course I didn’t expect that today but it happened anyway. Obviously it’s not the greatest moment we are in. In the end it’s not good enough. When you win you have 500 reasons. When you lose, it’s just not good enough.”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was blunt in his assessment, telling Sky Sports, “We have to do much better.
“If we play like today we have no chance to consider ourselves in the title race].”
The quest for the quadruple could now be coming back to haunt Klopp as Liverpool look to have run out of steam.
They have played 54 games this season and will have four more before the end of the campaign.
A number of academy graduates stepped up during an injury crisis in the early months of 2024 and helped ensure Klopp did at least secure some silverware in his final season by winning the League Cup in February.
Yet, just as they are getting major players back with Alisson Becker and Trent Alexander-Arnold returning in recent weeks, those that have been relied on most during the winter months are fading.
Klopp admitted after the Palace match that midfield duo Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo are struggling due to the burden placed upon them earlier in the campaign.
“Players who played all the games are less fresh but it is the same for the other teams. I don’t want that to be an excuse,” added Klopp.
“A lot of things come together so it is not great timing. I would prefer to be sitting here winning 4-0 and flying but the job is to win football games and the more you win, the more successful you are.
“In the moment we didn’t win enough to get anything from the season.”
Liverpool travel to West Ham United on Saturday. They clash with Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers in their final three games.
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