Liverpool has been dealt a harsh reality check by Danny Murphy, who has outlined why their draw with Sunderland was so "troubling". The Reds were left frustrated after a 1-1 stalemate at Anfield in Wednesday night's Premier League match – and it could have been even worse.
Arne Slot's team had come into the game on a high following their 2-0 victory over West Ham in the league, a welcome relief from a dismal run that saw them suffer six defeats in their previous seven Premier League matches and nine losses in 12 games across all competitions.
However, Liverpool couldn't clinch a win against the newly-promoted Championship side on its home ground, with an unfortunate own goal from Nordi Mukiele rescuing a point after Chemsdine Talbi had put the Black Cats ahead.
The outcome leaves Liverpool languishing in eighth place in the Premier League, with Manchester United potentially overtaking if it manages to beat West Ham on Thursday night.
Murphy was offering his insights on BBC's Match of the Day on Wednesday evening, and the ex-Liverpool midfielder didn't hold back in his critique of the club's ongoing woes following their latest setback.
"I thought Liverpool lacked intensity without the ball," Murphy commented. "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."
Arne Slot has found himself in the firing line
Arne Slot has found himself in the firing line
After the final whistle, Slot offered his assessment of Liverpool's stalemate with Sunderland, revealing conflicting emotions about the result.
"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. 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.
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"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."