Concerns for Liverpool: problems are evident in West Ham draw | Football News

Premier League leaders must draw 1-1 at West Ham

Everything seemed to be going well for Liverpool when Sadio Mane scored early against Leicester on Wednesday night. They seemed to have seven points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League standings. It's a very different picture now.

Jurgen Klopp's team failed to maintain that lead and once again gave the advantage despite Mane's handing them the lead against West Ham on Sunday. Monday night football. A second consecutive 1-1 draw means City will take the lead if he beats Everton midway through the week.

The performances are as worrying as the results. The flowing football that was a feature of their season was unheard of at London Stadium. It was a struggle all along. "We do not feel really good," said Jamie Carragher Sky sports then.

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Jurgen Klopp returns to 1-1 draw from Liverpool to West Ham

Here we look at some of the problems that are currently hampering Liverpool …

Coup franc weakness

Harry Maguire punished Liverpool mid-week and the same flaws were evident against West Ham. Michail Antonio's free kick was trapped. Naby Keita failed to follow him while others anticipated the match.

It could have been worse for Liverpool when Declan Rice was left unattended, with the visitors holding such a high line shortly thereafter. Issa Diop then headed straight from a corner to the right shortly after the break. Liverpool looked so vulnerable to the sets.

Keita still in trouble

It was not just that Keita could not handle the free kick for West Ham's goal, he had another disappointing night in general. In partnership with Fabinho in the middle of the midfield, it was the players whose arrival during the summer had caused such optimism.

Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool have given West Ham another lead

Instead, the two injured Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson were missed, with Keita, in particular, struggling. "He continues to lose the ball," Carragher said. There were allusions to the driving tracks that he was supposed to bring to this team, but that still does not happen for him.

Key players are missing

In addition to Wijnaldum and Henderson, Klopp is also without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez, forcing James Milner, third in his midfield of last season, to move to the right-back . This is an unfortunate situation, but many will wonder if it was avoidable.

Liverpool allowed Nathaniel Clyne to leave for Bournemouth last month. "Klopp made a big mistake in letting Clyne go," Carragher said. "I do not understand why Klopp did that, I know there were some injuries after, but you do not need to let him go, keep him."

The versatile Milner was not at his best in the right back slot. "James Milner has played twice there and watching him play right back, you can not really believe that he's played so well as left-back for so long," added Carragher. "He looked like someone who was out of position."

The rhythm has been lost

Klopp's frustrations could be detected even in his pre-match interview and his admission that Liverpool had to change training several times to prepare for the match because of the seriousness of the injury, which has helped explain that.

"We had to change three positions," he said. Sky sports then. "It's not cool." This could encourage Liverpool supporters to know that their fight for the attacking pace and the difficulties they mark in the stopped games can be explained in part by these changes.

Michail Antonio escaped from Naby Keita for West Ham's goal

What happens next?

Maybe all the time needed on the training ground is enough to solve the problems, but for the moment, it is feared that Liverpool is not better equipped than the defending champions to overcome these difficult moments. The depth of the team is not quite there.

Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri had their best moments this season, but it's not quite comparable to a team that can leave Leroy Sane on the bench as an unused substitute this weekend. Liverpool needs its own important players and injured players. And quick.

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