Liverpool’s hopes of clinching the Premier League title have been significantly dented following a surprising 2-0 loss to Everton, with manager Jurgen Klopp acknowledging that Liverpool now rely on setbacks from Arsenal and Manchester City.
The defeat marked Klopp’s first loss in a Merseyside derby in front of the fans, leaving Liverpool’s title aspirations in jeopardy.
Currently, Liverpool sits three points behind Arsenal with only four matches left to play. Additionally, they are just one point ahead of Manchester City, who still have two games in hand.
“You can read the table. We need a crisis at City and Arsenal and we need to win football games,” Klopp stated, hinting at the precarious situation his team finds themselves in as the season winds down.
Despite Klopp’s previously dominant record against Everton, with only one loss in 18 matches, this Merseyside derby proved to be a bitter pill to swallow.
“It was not the most inspired performance,” Klopp admitted.
Expressing his sympathy for the fans, he added, “I really feel for the people, I’m really sorry for that. People tell me before about record in the derby. It feels really different (to have lost). It was unnecessary but it happened.”
Liverpool’s recent form has been less than stellar, with four wins in their last nine games. This slump has seen them exit both the Europa League and the FA Cup and has severely impacted their position at the top of the Premier League table.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk urged his teammates not to let the remainder of the season fizzle out, especially given Klopp’s impending departure from Anfield.
“I think everyone has to look in the mirror and evaluate their performance. Have they given everything? Do they really want to win the league?” Van Dijk questioned.
“We weren’t good enough. We all have to do much better. We can’t let the season go out like tonight. We have to do much better in every sense,” he emphasised, highlighting the urgency for improvement and a strong finish to the season.