LIVERPOOL’S JAMES MILNER missed a penalty as his side wasted a chance to bolster their bid to qualify for the Champions League in an uninspiring 0-0 draw with Southampton on Sunday.
With rivals Arsenal and Manchester United clashing in Sunday’s late kick-off, Jurgen Klopp’s team had a golden opportunity to seize the initiative in the race for a top-four finish.
But the Reds never got out of first gear at Anfield in a terrible contest best remembered for Fraser Forster’s brilliant penalty save from Liverpool skipper Milner.
It was Milner’s first missed penalty since November 2009, when he was playing for Aston Villa against Bolton, and it summed up the feeling that this would not be Liverpool’s day.
Liverpool moved above Manchester City into third place, but they will hope fifth-placed United fail to close the gap with a win at Arsenal.
Philippe Coutinho started despite suffering a dead leg against Watford last week yet he had little impact during a match where nobody in a red shirt stood out.
Liverpool had failed to score against Southampton in their three previous encounters this season, once in the Premier League and in both legs of their League Cup semi-final tie, and the opening stages of this game contained very little attacking ambition from either side.
In fact, this match furthered the idea that Liverpool struggle against Premier League sides of a lesser calibre, especially those teams that look to do little else but cling on for a point, as Southampton did for most of this match.
In the opening 45 minutes, the home side had the lion’s share of possession but they did very little with it as Southampton sat deep and were more than happy to contain the likes of Divock Origi, Emre Can and Roberto Firmino.
- Fractious -
Firmino had the first real effort of note after 15 minutes, firing a shot straight at Maya Yoshida and Anfield soon became as stale and as flat as the contest itself.
The match became increasingly fractious as Liverpool grew frustrated by their inability to break down the disciplined visitors.
Immediately after the interval, Sofiane Boufal had the visitors’ first effort, dribbling through a packed six-yard box but his tame effort was easily smothered at the last second by Liverpool’s defence.
The half-time break had done few favours for either side though as Liverpool remained dull and Southampton were more than happy to get nine men behind the ball and concentrate on defence at all costs.
Firmino’s trickery could not unlock Southampton’s back-four while Origi and Coutinho remained virtually anonymous during an occasion when Liverpool really needed them at their best.
Finally though, Liverpool got the opportunity they needed to punish Southampton as Jack Stephens elbowed away the ball inside the area after challenging Origi.
It was well spotted by referee Bobby Madley and although Milner’s spot-kick was right in the corner, Forster did well to get down and palm the effort away.
The passionate way Southampton’s players celebrated the fine save was also an indicator of how desperate they were to hold on for a point.
Klopp brought Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana on with 20 minutes to go in a bid to give Liverpool a spark.
But the Liverpool boss became increasingly restless and angry on the sideline.
Sturridge could have lifted the mood when 12 yards out but he poked an effort straight at Forster.
Lallana then had his own 20-yard effort saved by Forster with five minutes left before the Southampton keeper made another stunning save in stoppage-time, tipping over a Marko Grujic header to help the visitors hang on.
Just give England 2 champions league places for next season. None of the rest bar Chelsea and Spurs deserve it.
@Joe Bloggs: Wise words. Could not agree more.
@Enda McCallion: as a frustrated LFC supporter, I also couldn’t agree more. LFC have been so poor, so bereft of ideas, of tactical intelligence, or plain and simple skills since the turn of the year, it’s horrible to watch. Losing Mane was bad luck but his absence has only shown how much they depended on him all season, and how terribly ordinary the rest are without him.
@Joe Bloggs: have you not watched spurs in UCL ?
@Joe Bloggs: You have to applaud Klopp, for keeping Liverpool in the top of table with such a useless bunch of players. I thought EPL were due to lose a place in champs league soon ?.
Well done to pools feeder club fourth meeting this season four clean sheets
@42 major trophies: to allow the same team to set up the same way, with the same tactics to keep clean sheets against you 4 times in one year is not acceptable. When you know in advance how they will set up, you should prepare accordingly. Klopp has no game plan, no tactics, no knowledge of when and what subs are needed. He allows personal differences or opinions of players to cloud his judgement. Our defence has gotten worse under him and he has to go. On a side note, the ONLY Southampton player Liverpool should be looking at is their goalkeeper. #bringbackrafa
@S Mac Giolla Choin: FFS drama queen.
If we cant beat palace bournmoth southamton in vital games how can we expect to get chanpions league. If united win europa league and get 4th spot i might have to run away. Klopp hasnt improved liverpool at all he is a to 1 dimensional and makes changes to late. Please let united and arsenal draw
@ryan o sullivan: Don’t know how Liverpool stick Klopp, he’s a great PR man for the club and nothing more.
@ryan o sullivan: European teams won’t sit back, Liverpool struggle with that style opponent. Look at their record against the top teams, that won’t sit back. Haven’t been beaten. But do agree Klopp has no plan b, but still allow him more time.
@ryan o sullivan: FFS drama queen
@The Pig: we cant beat teams outside the top 10? Luckily united and arsenal are useless
because Pool are 5 points ahead, United have 2 games including this one in hand. Win both and we get ahead. That’d do me just fine for the end of the season.
And based on today, I think they’ve run out of ideas.
@Conor Cahill: Can you trust united to win those 2 games they haven’t been much better.
@Conor Cahill: The sad thing is, even if the Pool make it into Europe, they will be annihilated by some Romanian or Polish outfit and further tarnish their legacy. They are woeful.
@Conor Cahill: hahaahahahahhahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaua
@Enda McCallion: ahahhaahahahaahahahahahahahahha
@Enda McCallion: Woeful,but still ahead of Utd,which makes Utd……..shyte???
@Conor Cahill: Well that went well.
@Noel Nugent: they’re both shyte Noel while the mighty blues march on …
@John Tierney: But if United win the Europa league, doesn’t the 4th placed team lose their spot, as United would take it?
Arsenal are coming, Chelsea, Spurs, Mancity, and the Arsenal just watch
@….: Nah that rule is gone now
Still think Liverpool will get top 4 Utd and Arsenal both just not good enough
@Sam Beckett: Liverpool, Utd and Arsenal aren’t good enough, all dropping points and Utd and Liverpool have been poor at home all season. Liverpool might just fall into the top tough.
@Sam Beckett: Top 4*
@Sam Beckett: Liverpool with one game a week all season same as Chelsea next season will show the difference for both clubs
Klopp has to take the blame for this result , bizarre team selection considering he knew Southampton would park the bus . The fact that he stupidly stuck with his usual game plan is just pure arrogance , needed width badly but tried to play through the middle !! Rafa Benitiz anyone ???
@chris irwin: liverpool try play the same as Barcelona, only problem is we don’t have Newmar, Suarez and Messi.
Klopp has nailed down how to get results against the top teams. However, unless he can come up with a strategy to beat the likes of burnley and bournemouth next season he will be on borrowed time.
Think the CL might be a season too early for the pool, the squad is wafer thin. If we do qualify the hardest part will be getting out of the group, if we make it to the knockouts I would really fancy our chances
Pure muck again when we need a performance but after 38 games Liverpool will be in the champions league place in 4th position and it’s up to Jurgen to have them ready for next season with piles more matches
Don’t think it will effect there chances unless we win today, but it will be a fourth spot finish and pre qualifying round for them , city looked impressive yesterday and I think they will nick 3rd spot
Absolute dung from liverpool again today.
Great save for the Peno. Shite game though. Don’t think the result will affect their top 4 chances.
Was at the game today and pool were shocking. How origi is on the pitch I will never understand . He lacks quality and doesn’t have the ability to hold the ball up by being easily pushed off the ball. Klopp takes to long to make subs, sturridge did more in ten mins then some of the players did the whole game . Looks like alote of the players are getting tired .All of our forwards were life less . Big summer signings are needed if we have any hope of doing well next season
@Damian O Reilly: your squad is shit and frankly I hope you get CL football, the best players don’t want contracts at Liverpool so it will be back too 6,7,8 place finish next season as Klopp can’t handle two games a week
@Euphegenia: I guess they’ll be singing for palace so? Nothing attracts a player more than trying to avoid relegation
@Euphegenia: Insightful comment there.Did you ever consider a career in tv punditry?I believe Dunphy is leaving RTE,and they need a replacement for someone to come on TV and talk out of their arse.You are the man for the job.
Liverpool can lose all their remaining games and will still get top 4 cos as bad as they are united and Arsenal are worse. Can wait to see what donkeys united pay 100mil for this summer.
LFC Supporter, n I not bothered if we get top 4 or not. Reason being are owners going to buy 4/5 top class players, not sure the the business model is built around CLF, went MU, MC, CFC etc don’t have CLF they still spend! LFC have no squad outside first 12,15 players n only for arsenal n Utd have been poor we’d not get top 4 again this season! John Henry said at the start of his ownership “THAT U CANT TURN A CRUISE SHIP AROUND LIKE A SPEEDBOAT!!!” But u can’t run a CRUISESHIP WITH THE CREW OF A SPEEDBOAT JOHN!!!
Just when they thought we were out they pulled us back in. Them bloody scourers they’ve only gone and done it again.
@The Pig: yes next season with one squad and UCL that’ll be interesting
Very mundane stuff from Liverpool, total lack of creativity between midfield and front 3.
The most frustrating team to support
And listening to other Liverpool supporters is equally frustrating
One constantly tells me Liverpool are a better team than Spurs this season , when I point out the league table he dismisses it .
A team that lack any real quality and more importantly balls , they have an opportunity to qualify for Champions League football and they play like a team trying to avoid relegation
No drive , no vision , no hear . no quality and no real talent
Liverpool don`t deserve a place in Champions league
And I`m a Liverpool supporter
Typical no article then on arsenal ruining the drawables unbeaten run! We all know pool will bottle the forth place