Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland at Anfield on Wednesday night in the Premier League, and Danny Murphy has made clear his old side are well off it right now
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Liverpool were forced to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland
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Liverpool have been given a stark assessment by Danny Murphy over why their draw with Sunderland was so "troubling". The Reds were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at Anfield in Wednesday night's Premier League fixture – and it could have been worse.
Arne Slot's side had entered the match buoyed by their 2-0 triumph over West Ham in the league, which had provided some respite from a woeful spell that witnessed six losses in their previous seven top-flight outings and nine defeats from 12 fixtures across all competitions.
Yet Liverpool failed to secure all three points against the Championship newcomers on home turf, with Nordi Mukiele's unfortunate own goal salvaging a draw after Chemsdine Talbi had given the Black Cats the lead.
The result leaves Liverpool languishing in eighth spot in the Premier League, with Manchester United potentially leapfrogging them should they overcome West Ham on Thursday night.
Murphy was providing analysis for BBC's Match of the Day on Wednesday evening, and the former Liverpool midfielder delivered a scathing verdict on the club's ongoing struggles following their latest disappointment.
"I thought Liverpool lacked intensity without the ball," said Murphy.
"They didn't look particularly comfortable, the set-up, the way they were playing.
"I think with the ball, in the final third, the quality was lacking at times.
"There was a lack of idea, sharpness. For the amount of talented players Liverpool have, they're not creating enough chances and they're certainly not scoring enough goals.
"They'll have to take a point and move forward, but it was a troubling performance."
Following the final whistle, Slot shared his thoughts on Liverpool's draw with Sunderland, expressing mixed feelings about the outcome.
“I feel a bit of both (pleased and frustrated). I knew before the game, when you play Sunderland, from their 14 games they have played now they only conceded more than one goal four times and in these four games they have only conceded two," Slot said.
“So it is hard team to score against. It is a hard team to create chances against.
Arne Slot shouting
Arne Slot's Liverpool were lucky to even get a point against Sunderland
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“They either go really aggressive in a high press or they have 11 players who defend their box with their lives. That’s why it’s so difficult to create.
“In that aspect I was hoping for more but I knew how difficult it is to create against them. We have hardly conceded the first big chance.
“I don’t count the one that hit the bar because that was not a chance, but the first was from a set piece that hit the post. And then their goal is not even a chance.
“If that is a chance we have had 20 chances tonight but unfortunately a deflection led to us going 1-0 down.
“In recent games we have found it really hard to get an equaliser although we had our chances every time.
“Today we have had a bit of luck with scoring 1-1 because it was also a deflection. For me it’s different because that is a shot from eight, nine yards, 10 so that is a serious chance.
“A shot from 20 yards isn’t a serious chance. An opportunity but not a serious chance.”
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