Their identity was intensity. Perhaps not anymore, though. Jurgen Klopp reacted to Liverpool’s flirtation with an early exit from the FA Cup by declaring: “We win not enough challenges; nowhere.” His side were second best to second balls too often against Wolves. Klopp marked his arrival at Anfield by declaring he wanted to make Liverpool “the hardest team to beat” in the world. Last season, when they lost just four of 64 games, they were.
On Saturday, Wolves nearly beat them. Or Liverpool nearly beat themselves; both really. Even with a 2-2 draw, they have their highest percentage of defeats in a season since the campaign before Klopp’s appointment, 2014-15. Losing challenges and losing matches may go hand in hand; so, too, losing the ball.
