The latest match in English football's most iconic rivalry saw Manchester United and Liverpool play to a 0-0 draw. In a vital clash which will have significant ramifications on this season's Premier League title race, neither side would have left satisfied with the result. While United remained top of the league, cross-town rivals Manchester City recorded a victory which saw them close to within one point of United. It must also be noted that City have played one match fewer than have United.
As for Liverpool, the result kept them three points behind United. They also saw Leicester City overtake them after Leicester won their match during this matchday, leaving Liverpool fourth in the league.
It must now be noted that Liverpool's recent dip in form has now turned into a full-blown slump. The Reds are now winless over their last four league matches, picking up just three points in the process. They have also failed to score in each of their last three. What makes this an even greater cause for concern for Liverpool is the fact that this season's league title race is perhaps the tightest and most wide-open of all time.
Much of the blame for Liverpool's recent run of poor form has to go to their underperforming front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino. Over the last four league matches, the trio have combined for just one goal and have been well below their best. This is a group of players who combined for 46 league goals last season, propelling Liverpool to a first league title since 1990 and striking fear into the hearts of defenders all over England and beyond. However, over the past month, they have collectively seemed to have entirely lost their touch in front of goal. It's one thing for this to happen to just one player - for all three to have simultaneous slumps is absolutely devastating for Liverpool.
Another underperformer in recent weeks has been right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. When he is in top form, the man who was born in the shadow of Anfield is the best full-back on the planet. Unfortunately, he was perhaps the worst player on the field against United. His normally excellent crosses were way off the mark and struggled to contain United's attack - if not for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, Liverpool would likely have lost this match. Alexander-Arnold also made several glaring defensive errors which could easily have resulted in United goals. This dismal performance follows an equally awful one against Southampton - a match in which he played so poorly that head coach Jürgen Klopp substituted him in the 77th minute. For a player whose stock just six months ago had been at an all-time high, his slump sticks out like a sore thumb.
That being said, Liverpool do have one key trump card in their corner. Very few coaches in the world can steer a team out of a predicament like this. Fortunately for Liverpool, theirs is such a coach. Klopp has proven time and again that he is perhaps the world's best coach. Certainly, four points is not an insurmountable gap; however, with how tight this season's title race has been, it could very well prove to be just that when all is said and done. Nevertheless, there are very few, if any, coaches that you'd pick over Klopp to take Liverpool from their current position to back-to-back league titles for the first time since 1984.
However, even Klopp has begun to grow skeptical about his own team's diminishing title hopes. Following the match against United, the German spoke about how his side's main goal would now be to qualify for next season's Champions League by finishing in the top four in the league. In contrast to his usual confidence (some might even say brashness), Klopp did not sound anything like a coach who expects to be embroiled in a league title race at the season's end.
Though there's still half a season to be played, the unique character of this season's title race means that even one short slump like what Liverpool are going through could prove fatal to a Premier League title bid.
Liverpool have enjoyed a remarkable past three years including a Premier League and Champions League title apiece as well as runner-up finishes in both. They have clearly been England's best club over this span. However, they now face one of their toughest challenges to date; it could be one which they might not be able to overcome.
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