Jurgen Klopp voiced his disappointment after his Liverpool side suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat at Anfield to Crystal Palace on Sunday, dealing a blow to Reds’ Premier League title aspirations.
Liverpool, who had not faced a home defeat at Anfield in 14 months across all competitions before a 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday, failed to muster the desired response against Palace.
The visitors seized an early advantage through Eberechi Eze during a tumultuous first-half display from the home side.
Reflecting on the defeat, Klopp remarked, “It feels awful, absolutely.” He added, “The issues we encountered in the first half persisted into the second half. We sought to exhibit a reaction from the previous game, but it wasn’t the one we desired. It was apparent that the team lacked complete conviction.”
The loss leaves Liverpool trailing Manchester City by two points with six matches remaining in the Premier League campaign.
Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah all missed glorious chances to at least salvage a point in the second half.
Liverpool faces a challenging run of away fixtures, including matches against Fulham, Everton, and West Ham over the next fortnight, before returning to Anfield.
Klopp emphasized the need for his side to rediscover their top form to remain in contention for the league title. He stated, “Our fate is in our hands. If we perform as we did in the second half, we can win games. However, if we display the same inconsistency, winning the league becomes doubtful.”
Liverpool has won just three of their last eight games across all competitions, with Andy Robertson expressing concern about the team’s defensive solidity and finishing prowess.
Robertson noted, “We’re struggling to keep clean sheets lately. When you are unable to do so, you must capitalize on your opportunities.”
Despite numerous chances in the second half, Liverpool failed to find the net, with Robertson acknowledging a dip in their goal-scoring efficiency since returning from international duty in March.
He lamented, “Our finishing hasn’t been clinical enough lately, which is concerning when you are competing for titles. It’s rare to go two games without scoring at Anfield.”
Liverpool’s quest for silverware faces a critical juncture as they seek to regain their winning touch and mount a late charge for the Premier League crown.
