1 October 2017 October 1 Date: 1 October 2017 Times Telegraph BBC Opposition: Newcastle United Guardian Mirror Chronicle Independent Mail Echo Competition: League Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): R Elliot 6 -- D Yedlin 6, J Lascelles 8, C Clark 6, J Manquillo 6 -- M Merino 7 (sub: I Hayden 74min), J Shelvey 6 -- M Ritchie 5, A Expected failings haunt frustrated Klopp Perez 5 (sub: M Diame 90), C Atsu 5 -- Joselu 6 (sub: D Gayle 79). Substitutes not used K Darlow, J Gamez, F Lejeune, J Murphy. Booked Newcastle United 1 Joselu 36 Liverpool Coutinho 29 1 Perez. Liverpool (4-3-3): S Mignolet 6 -- J Gomez 6, J Matip 6, D Lovren 6, A Referee C Pawson Attendance 52,303 Moreno 6 -- G Wijnaldum 6, J Henderson 7, P Coutinho 7 -- M Salah 6 (sub: A The number-crunchers behind football's voguish expectedgoals model might need Oxlade-Chamberlain 84), D Sturridge 5 (sub: R Firmino 74), S Mane 5 (sub: D to tweak their formula. For Liverpool at present, the only expectation is of Solanke 74). Substitutes not used L Karius, R Klavan, J Milner, E Can. Booked profligacy at one end of the pitch and vulnerability at the other. Before leaving St Gomez. James' Park last night, Jurgen Klopp called it a "hard moment" for his team. It is also a conundrum -- one that he needs to solve as a matter of growing urgency. For both sides, yesterday's match on Tyneside followed the pattern of the Joselu hands Newcastle draw with lucky strike to punish wasteful Liverpool previous weeks. Whereas Rafa Benitez and Newcastle United were encouraged by At the final whistle Rafael Benítez polished his spectacles and smiled. another welcome show of solidarity and resilience, Klopp and Liverpool were left The Newcastle United manager had reminded Liverpool fans precisely what they to rue familiar failings at both ends. The past seven matches in all competitions lost when he left in 2010 while his latest successor at Anfield, Jürgen Klopp, have yielded only one win for Liverpool. They are in danger of being left behind in appeared to have succumbed to apoplexy. Klopp – who at one late juncture the Premier League title race, if indeed they have not been already. publicly berated Jordan Henderson, although the visiting captain was not alone in Klopp said in his post-match press conference that, "I really think it looks like feeling the heat of his manager’s ire – knew his side really should have won. we're not far away from a real challenger." Other teams, he said, will "have their Benítez, though, is far too good a tactician not to have recognised that Liverpool’s hard moment" too. They will but Liverpool do not look ruthless enough to do high defensive line was there to be unhinged and, refusing to panic in the wake of what Manchester City and Manchester United are doing. The deficiencies that let Philippe Coutinho’s superb opener, duly demonstrated precisely how to do it. them down yesterday are too well established for that. Once Jonjo Shelvey’s passing range had unpicked a slack defensive lock, Joselu’s This latest frustration for Liverpool followed a familiar pattern -- a spectacular scruffy equaliser ensured the points were shared. That goal also maintained an goal from Philippe Coutinho was followed within six minutes by the dim-witted appreciable distance between Liverpool in seventh place and the leaders, defending that allowed Joselu to equalise. Liverpool dominated possession and Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side are now seven points ahead. Tynesiders chalked up 17 attempts on goal to Newcastle's eight, but it is not just in their own have long dreamt of their club being the subject of a Manchester City-style penalty area that Klopp's team lack composure. Of those 17 Liverpoolshots, some takeover. On Sunday they woke to reports that an unspecified number of parties, of them from very inviting positions, only two, damningly, were on target. a Chinese consortium included, had signed non-disclosure agreements with Mike Klopp drew attention to an incident early in the second half when Daniel Ashley, Newcastle’s owner, ahead of a potential sale. Shortly before kick-off, Sturridge, back in the starting line-up but seemingly short of confidence, shot though, talk turned to a potential Middle Eastern buy-out when Amanda Staveley straight at Rob Elliot in a oneon-one situation and then Mohamed Salah missed was spotted in the directors’ box. Renowned as a deal maker in football circles, the target with what looked like a routine opportunity as the ball ran loose. Staveley has close links with Gulf Arab investors and her presence prompted "What is my job?" the Liverpool manager said. "To say: 'Mo, don't do that next excited chatter about the potential end of Ashley’s regime. The sports retail time' and 'Daniel, please have a look next time'? They know that -- and they will tycoon appears eager to sell but he is a notoriously awkward man to do business do that next time." What should alarm Klopp, though, is how Liverpool's threat with and the path between negotiations and an exchange of contracts could well faded thereafter. They continued to dominate possession, and there were still prove extremely tricky. Liverpool’s visit looked a similarly hazardous engagement chances, but a forward line that began the season so effervescently looked low on for Newcastle but, after a minute’s applause for the former chairman Freddy energy and, in the case of Sturridge, low on confidence. "The only alternative for Shepherd, who died last week, and evocative chants of “Rafa Benítez” from both us is to carry on," Klopp said. "We cannot say, 'We don't score, so now we will sets of supporters, the home side began brightly. Deployed alongside another become passive and be the counterattacking team and hope that happens.' I playmaker, Mikel Merino, Shelvey certainly seemed out to impress against his don't think that is the right way for us." At least, with Coutinho back in the former employers and, from one of his stellar passes, Matt Ritchie’s curling shot fold, Liverpool can score from what look like unpromising positions. We have seen forced Simon Mignolet into an early save. If that represented cause for cautious him do it so many times before, cutting in from the inside-left channel and geordie optimism, it was severely tempered by some exquisite touches from whipping a terrific rightfoot shot goalwards, and one imagines that a manager as Coutinho and Mohamed Salah’s pace suffused advances. Klopp’s players really meticulous as Benitez would have highlighted the threat in the build-up. As so should have scored during one bout of goalmouth bagatelle involving Gini often when facing Coutinho, though, forewarned did not mean forearmed. A poor Wijnaldum, a Newcastle old boy, volleying against a post, Dejan Lovren seeing a header by Matt Ritchie on the half-hour was pounced upon by the Brazil attacker, shot cleared off the line and the underwhelming Sadio Mané dragging the who drifted past Joselu, feinted away from Jonjo Shelvey and released a shot that rebound wide. Even so, Rob Elliot had very little to do until he picked the ball out left Elliot flailing hopelessly like so many before him. Some of Liverpool's attacking of his net following Coutinho’s splendid opener. Perhaps intent on demonstrating play for that opening half hour was excellent, but here, too, there was a growing why Liverpool were right to turn down Barcelona’s stratospheric bids, Coutinho familiarity to the tale. It was summed up by a counterattack in the early stages, cut inside from the left and, from around 25 yards, directed a curving, rising right when Salah played a superb pass to Sadio Mane with the outside of his left foot, foot shot through the gap between Elliot’s outstretched hand and the near post. but Mane hesitated and was crowded out. On 20 minutes Sturridge turned well to It was a simply stunning, world-class finish but significantly Shelvey committed release Salah, but, as so often, Salah showed a lack of conviction in front of goal. the cardinal sin of standing off. No matter, Klopp’s high line offered him a route to DeAndre Yedlin, racing back, made an excellent intervention. At that point things redemption. Just as fans began questioning the decision to field Shelvey and looked bleak for a Newcastle team whose only threat had come from distance, Merino together and wondering if Isaac Hayden needed to come on and start Simon Mignolet dealing comfortably with speculative efforts from Shelvey and breaking things up a bit, Shelvey unleashed a glorious through-ball between Jamaal Lascelles, but where there is this Liverpool defence, there is hope for Lovren and Joël Matip before finding Joselu. With Mignolet advancing Joselu opponents. It was a defencesplitting pass from Shelvey, but then again so many of dithered alarmingly, permitting Matip to attempt a sliding tackle which merely them are against this Liverpool back four. Joselu is quicker than he looks, but succeeded in bouncing the ball off the striker’s shin before eventually rolling into Klopp looked understandably exasperated at seeing the forward beat a dubious the corner. Once again the vulnerability of a Liverpool defence which seemed offside trap. Even then, Joselu hesitated, allowing Joel Matip to tackle him, but susceptible to Christian Atsu’s counterattacking pace had been highlighted. the ball bounced back off the Newcastle forward and dribbled into the net. A Beautifully weighted as Shelvey’s pass was, acres of space separated Lovren and scrappy goal, yes, but few would begrudge the hard-working Joselu his Matip.