Liverpool is no longer in the driver’s seat in the battle for the Premier League title.
Manager Jürgen Klopp delivered a juicy jab at the arch-rival after the chaotic match at Old Trafford.
“I’m sorry to say this. We should have won both games against United, but we didn’t. That’s our fault,” Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp said at the post-match press conference.
The 2-2 result against arch-rival Manchester United means Arsenal takes over the top spot on better goal difference. And it is precisely Arsenal’s upcoming away game at Old Trafford he was asked about.
“Arsenal is a good team. If Manchester United plays like they did today, Arsenal will win that match,” Klopp said.
That’s what he apologizes for having to say: A slight dig at the arch-rival. Klopp was neither ecstatic nor deeply disappointed after the match but acknowledges that they cannot afford more results like this in the fight for the league title.
“It feels like a loss,” captain Virgil van Dijk said to BBC.
But it could have ended even worse for Liverpool in what was at times a completely chaotic match at Old Trafford. Kobbie Mainoo’s screamer for 2-1 to Manchester United seemed for a long time to deal Liverpool a brutal defeat.
And even though Salah eventually equalized to 2-2, one point may be two too few when the season is tallied up for Liverpool in the gold battle.
“They wasted four points against United,” Viaplay expert Bojan Djordjic said, referring to the reverse fixture this season. It ended 0-0 at Anfield in December, another match where Liverpool had the clear majority of chances.
The home team certainly gets a big thank you from both Arsenal and Manchester City after Sunday’s points. Seven games remain in what will be a title race for the history books.
Manchester United is having a lead-heavy season on their part. But they knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a dramatic 4–3 win here at Old Trafford three weeks ago. And with Sunday’s result, they can contribute to the guys from Merseyside losing the league title, too.
“Jürgen is cracking,” the home fans chanted at the score 2-1 in the second half when the German Liverpool boss was on fire on the sideline.
