For Jurgen Klopp, most of Liverpool’s problems can be traced back to that afternoon at Old Trafford. A defeat, by the odd goal in seven, which appeared to deliver a fatal blow to the team’s self-confidence, Manchester United not only reaching the FA Cup semi-finals at Liverpool’s expense but kick-starting the dramatic unravelling of that ‘quadruple’ dream.
Klopp’s suddenly leaden-footed side have won only four of their eight games in all competitions since Alejandro Garnacho set up Amad Diallo in the 122nd minute in mid-March.
Liverpool crashed out of the Europa League at the hands of Atalanta. And while their Premier League hopes have not yet been entirely extinguished, shock defeats by Crystal Palace and Merseyside rivals Everton have reduced a burning flame to a flicker.
There will be no victorious, Sir Alex Ferguson-style victory lap for the departing Anfield boss, it seems.
Have Manchester United ruined Klopp’s Liverpool farewell?
“Obviously, you can read the table,” a tired and exasperated Klopp sighed after his unbeaten record at Goodison Park was broken by a ferocious Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the reported Manchester United target Jarrad Branthwaite.
“So, should I say now we are still fully in (the title race)? We need a crisis at City and Arsenal, and need to win football games. And we are not safe in the Champions League as well, so we should just play better football.”
This was another game in which Liverpool created plenty of chances but displayed about as much accuracy as a Storm Trooper at a shooting range.
Much was made of the fact that Klopp’s misfiring side managed 87 shots in their three games against Man United this season but failed to win even once. And that wasteful streak cost them again at Everton with Darwin Nunez (surprise surprise) the main culprit.
Anfield boss rues Old Trafford defeat
“You can see we are in a rush in front of the goal. You can see that,” adds Klopp, feeling that his players are still suffering a hangover from that FA Cup exit and the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford a few weeks later.
“It’s long ago, but I blame a little bit the United game for it. That many chances and you play really good but you don’t get anything for it. That’s really bad.
“Since then, we create but we don’t score often enough and that doesn’t help. It’s not like in a situation like that you don’t score and then just (think), ‘Ah, forget it, who cares?’. You cannot act like you scored 15 goals in the last two games or whatever. You can see that and that’s a problem.”
It’s not a trophy, of course. It’s not even a Champions League spot. But derailing Jurgen Klopp’s farewell journey is at least one consolation Manchester United supporters can take from a largely dreadful campaign, that Amad winner and those two stunners from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo rare high points in a season full of frustration.