Liverpool could be handed overlooked Premier League reality check amid Europa League blessing

Liverpool have been dealt something of a reality check this week, toiling away at both Luton Town and Toulouse.

A victory for the Reds over the Hatters last Sunday would have seen them climb to second in the Premier League table. Instead, they needed a stoppage-time header from Luis Diaz to rescue a point against the newly-promoted side that have won just once since returning to the English top-flight.

Meanwhile, a win away in Toulouse would have clinched top spot in Liverpool’s Europa League group with two games to spare, ensuring they bypass the knockout round play-offs and head straight into the round-of-16. Instead, they fell to a dismal 3-2 draw with VAR controversially chalking off an undeserved last-gasp equaliser.

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It is a blessing for Jurgen Klopp’s side that such is their superiority to their Europa League group counterparts, it would be a major shock if they didn’t secure top spot against either LASK Linz or Union SG.

Still, with concerns continuing regarding the Reds’ holding midfield options in particular, cracks have started to emerge in Klopp’s ‘Liverpool 2.0’. While Kopites initially hoped that an £150m engine-room revamp could restore them to Premier League title contender status, they have perhaps had to reassess such expectations in the past week.

After all, this is a side that, along with emphatically winning the title in 2019/20 with a whopping 99 points, also missed out to Man City by a solitary point on two occasions in 2018/19 and 2021/22 despite accumulating 97 and 92 points respectively. Liverpool know better than most