Liverpool front three firing blanks leaves Jurgen Klopp short of options in attack

The Reds' goalless draw with Manchester United on Sunday was their third game in a row without a goal

LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 8. The Brazilian made a great save from Fernandes with his foot and a fantastic stop from Pogba in the last 10 minutes to preserve the point. Reuters

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 5. The 22-year-old was uncertain at the back and inconsistent with his crosses. Part of Liverpool’s attacking problem is that the right back has hit a dip in form. Reuters

Fabinho - 8. Another composed performance by the Brazilian. He produced a brilliant sliding block to stop a Fernandes opportunity and snuffed out a Rashford counter-attack late on. Reuters

Jordan Henderson - 7. The captain was not tested in this unfamiliar position of centre half. He was strong in the air and used the ball well but playing him at the back is not the solution for Liverpool's defensive problems. Reuters

Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot got into good positions but his touch was off and too many of his passes found a United shirt rather than a teammate. Defended well against Rashford. EPA

Thiago Alcantara - 6. The 29-year-old's passing is seductive but he needs to hurt the opposition more. He is still adjusting to the pace of the English game. Forced a save from De Gea in the closing stages with a shot from the edge of the box. Reuters

Georginio Wijnaldum - 5. The Dutchman worked manfully in a restructured midfield. He impressed during his side’s spell on top in the first-half but tired late. Replaced by Milner with a minute to go. EPA

Xherdan Shaqiri - 6. Faded after a bright start when he buzzed around the United box generating chances. The Swiss was taken off for Jones with 14 minutes left. Reuters

Sadio Mane - 6. As so often recently, the Senegalese was the most dynamic of Liverpool’s attackers. The inability to convert that threat into goals against packed defences is becoming a worry, though. EPA

Mohamed Salah - 5. A frustrating effort for the Egyptian. He switched flanks in an attempt to exert more influence but had little impact on either side of the pitch. Reuters

Roberto Firmino - 4. A lacklustre display. The front three have been sputtering largely because the Brazilian has struggled for consistency and has been unable to create space and opportunities for his colleagues. Wasted one good chance. AFP

SUBS: Curtis Jones - 5. Replaced Shaqiri in the 75th minute and tried to spark the attack. Brought plenty of energy but not much danger. EPA

Divock Origi - 5. Given the last five minutes when Firmino was substituted. The Belgian was eager and managed to force a corner but never looked like breaking the deadlock (no match photo available). Reuters

James Milner - 5. Brought on for Wijnaldum in the 89th minute and was solid enough. A cautious substitution from Jurgen Klopp as time ran out (no match photo available). Reuters

MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER RATINGS: David De Gea - 7. Little to do despite strong Liverpool pressure in the first 30 minutes as they flew at United having had no games since United played their last two. Reuters

Aaron Wan Bissaka – 7. Nervous watching him against Mane but handled him well in a dogged opening half hour. Like his team, he brightened up in the second half. Set up Pogba seven minutes from time. Survived the Liverpool threat for consecutive clean sheets in away games. EPA

Victor Lindelof – 7. Selection a slight surprise given his injuries and Eric Bailly’s form. Steady and his defence kept a clean sheet – in no part down to superb late defending snuffing Liverpool out. Justified his selection. AFP

Harry Maguire – 7. Under pressure and blocked a Firmino shot but shaky giving ball away. Good game against three of the best forwards in the world. Reuters

Luke Shaw – 8. Involved in first half counters down the left. Solid, though lost ball which led to Salah run on goal. Attacked and assisted and full of energy for 90 minutes. More touches than any other United player. Man of the match. AFP

Paul Pogba – 7. Unusually, started playing off the right and immediately involved in attack and cutting out Liverpool attacks, but gave ball away – partly because he tries the spectacular and it doesn’t always come off. His shot after 83rd minute was one of the best two chances in the game and superbly saved by Allison. He set himself up with a fine first touch but volleyed at goalkeeper. EPA

Scott McTominay - 7. Robust early challenge on Thiago that Bryan Robson or Norman Whiteside would’ve been proud of. Improved as game went on and strong on clearances and will be satisfied with the result against a side who’d won 36 of their previous 38 home league games. Reuters

Fred - 7. Outsmarted by Thiago early and wasteful in possession but always busy and pressing against the champions. Passed ball nicely forward in a second half move and sensed dangers well. Reuters

Bruno Fernandes - 5. Transformed United since signing a year ago but poor in this huge game. Lost his man and limited impact. United’s best first half effort with a free kick but very poor and United’s first shot on target after 64. Side-footed a chance after a fast United attacked but well saved by Allison. EPA

Anthony Martial - 6. Played on left which constrained him, even though he looked dangerous when he has the ball. Played an hour. Needs to get to the levels he was at last season for him to be an asset who could help United win the league. AFP

Marcus Rashford - 6. Playing centre forward. Lots of running but offside four times in a first half where United didn’t have a single shot on target. His runs excite but led to little and his manager pointed them out as an area his players could’ve improved. There was one run where Cavani was to his left in space. Booked. EPA

SUBS: Edinson Cavani - 6. On for Martial 60. Worked hard, smart touches in a better second half for United. Liverpool’s 68-game unbeaten home run stays intact, as does United’s unbeaten away run stretching nearly a year. AFP

Mason Greenwood - N/A On for Fernandes after 89. The Portuguese didn’t kook happy about it, but he could have no complaints after his performance. Reuters

Jurgen Klopp cemented his place in Liverpool folklore when his team emulated the feats of 2005. His side did so again on Sunday; just in unwanted fashion.

Klopp secured Liverpool’s sixth European Cup, 14 years after Rafa Benitez prevailed in extraordinary fashion in Istanbul. Yet two months before then, his Liverpool went three league games without a goal.

In the subsequent 16 years, Liverpool never did that. Until Manchester United secured their third stalemate in five visits to Anfield.

In itself, it was hardly a bad result for Liverpool – and given the saves Alisson made from Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, it could have been a worse one – but it was the cumulative impact.

A failure to score against Southampton, Newcastle or in the final 78 minutes versus West Bromwich Albion left them with no goal in 348 minutes. A team who, a year ago, claimed 106 points from 108 now have three from 12.

Klopp attempted to downgrade expectations, talking of the target being the top four, rather than the title. He tried to apply a little perspective. “This is not the most difficult period I have been through in my life,” he said. “It’s not even close.” His time at Mainz acquainted him with heartbreak, whether from relegation or missing out on promotion in cruel fashion.

His Liverpool career has brought regular doses of the January blues; in 2017, when they didn’t win in nine games, they had a particularly acute case. Klopp’s teams tend to peak both earlier and later in the season. And yet this is a campaign unlike any others; its peculiarities may affect Liverpool more than most.

Klopp’s high-tempo, perfectly-calibrated brand of football relied more on training and peak conditioning. Liverpool tended to feed off the energy of their crowd and vice versa. They have not looked as sharp or as inspired.

And yet there is also a case for arguing they have been enduring the sort of spell of bad luck which, cliché has it, will even itself out. Since Sadio Mane struck against West Brom, they have posted an expected goals tally of 4.90 and not scored. Even when looking laboured, they have had chances.

Perhaps they simply used all their goals up in the 7-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace. Part of their subsequent drought can be attributed to poor finishing. Mane has been unusually impotent in the last three months. Roberto Firmino can be profligate, which matters less when others compensate.

Diogo Jota did that brilliantly, but Klopp's decision to field the Portuguese in a Champions League dead rubber against FC Midtjylland backfired when he sustained a knee injury. A manager who was vocal in his complaints about player workload has been rather quieter since then. Jota's absence matters more given Klopp's lack of faith in Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi's year-long malaise.
"We need to score goals," said captain Jordan Henderson. "And I'm not talking just about the front three, by the way. I'm talking about everyone: midfielders, full-backs getting into the box, set-pieces. Everybody can chip in. We need to start doing that quickly."

And yet the Klopp model has been to rely on the front three, and the reserve forwards, for goals. Van Dijk was their fourth-highest Premier League scorer last season.

With Philippe Coutinho never replaced, a choice that has been justified, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been the closest thing to a midfield scorer, but he has only played 79 minutes this season.

Naby Keita’s injuries and inability to kick on have stripped them of another supposed threat. Now, supporting Henderson’s point, no midfielder or defender has more than one league goal. It leaves Liverpool, once again, looking reliant on that misfiring front three.