Fortress Anfield crumbles: Three results which have dented Liverpool’s title bid
Liverpool’s grip on the Premier League title was further loosened as they were well-beaten by Manchester City on Sunday evening.
Having boasted a 68-match unbeaten league run at home until recently, Jurgen Klopp’s side have now slipped to three defeats in 17 days at Anfield.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the results which have dented Liverpool’s hopes of retaining the title.
Liverpool 0 Burnley 1 – January, 21
Liverpool’s seven-hour goal drought eventually caught up with them as Burnley pulled off a shock victory at Anfield. It ended an unbeaten home Premier League record of almost four years as Ashley Barnes’ 83rd-minute penalty inflicted the first league loss on home soil for the Reds since Crystal Palace in April 2017. The defending champions were again made to pay for their lack of a cutting edge – having left the out-of-form Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino on the bench for an hour – as their scoreless run ran to seven hours and 18 minutes following the surprise defeat.
Liverpool 0 Brighton 1 – February, 3
Liverpool’s home league record collapsed from unbeaten in almost four years to defeats in back-to-back matches as Brighton followed Burnley in leaving Anfield with a hard-fought victory. This was a similar story as the hosts dominated possession but lacked a cutting edge. Brighton created the best chances and the margin of victory could have been greater, but Steven Alzate seized the moment with his first Premier League goal 11 minutes into the second half.
Liverpool 1 Manchester City 4 – February, 7
Liverpool’s title defence appeared to come to an end as two awful errors from goalkeeper Alisson Becker gifted leaders Manchester City victory. With the match evenly-poised at 1-1 with 17 minutes remaining, the Brazil international’s errant passing presented the visitors with two goals. Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty had cancelled out the opener from Ilkay Gundogan, who redeemed himself after missing from the penalty spot in the first half. Alisson then scuffed a pass straight to Phil Foden, who drove forward and crossed for Gundogan to make it nine goals in his last 11 league matches. And worse was to follow as the fit-again keeper then repeated the error even closer to goal, with Bernardo Silva teeing-up Raheem Sterling to nod home his 100th goal for Pep Guardiola. Foden added a fine fourth late on to condemn the Reds to a third straight home defeat.
