Liverpool drew 1-1 with Napoli on Wednesday in the Champions League. It was a fine of example of how the Reds’ season could yet unravel.
Make no mistake – Liverpool are the best team in the world right now. It may not have looked that way at Anfield on Wednesday but they most certainly are.
They’re European champions, undefeated domestically since January and have a clear lead at the top of the Premier League. Not only that but Liverpool convincingly beat Manchester City – the other side laying claim to that crown – just weeks ago.
Despite that, there is a real problem with Liverpool that could flick the season like a switch. They can’t keep clean-sheets and it looks like a serious problem.
Now, Napoli’s goal was a unique case as Virgil van Dijk was down but they still caught out a very high line. Dries Mertens’ run left the defence stranded and his finish maintained an abysmal defensive record.
Liverpool have kept just three clean-sheets this season. That was also the ninth home game of the season – all nine opponents have scored at Anfield.
The 1-1 draw with Napoli showed exactly why this can damage Liverpool. The cheap goal allowed Carlo Ancelotti to sit his side back and focus on limiting the space – they only needed a draw, after all.
As Ancelotti said after the game: “Liverpool have enormous quality, but they become more controllable when they are forced to play within reduced spaces.” (per Football-Italia).
That became a lot easier once Liverpool were chasing the game.
More and more teams will be able to do that, too, if the defence keeps leaking goals. Liverpool can’t rely on late winner and ‘we’ll score one more’ all season.
As we said earlier in the week, Liverpool can effectively guarantee the title if they remember how to keep clean sheets. But they could very well lose it all if they don’t.
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