Liverpool Fan View: How Swansea defeat leaves Reds struggling to challenge for glory

Missing Matip

Joel Matip was back in the Liverpool squad after his recent absence due to injury and Fifa bureaucracy. However, Jurgen Klopp started the Cameroon defender from the bench for the visit of Swansea City. The Liverpool manager revealed in his pre-match interview that the towering centre-half didn’t have sufficient training sessions under his belt to warrant his inclusion ahead of Ragnar Klavan. Given the Estonia international struggled alongside Dejan Lovren, Klopp will surely rue his decision not to risk Matip in light of Fernando Llorente’s dominance in the air.

Inconsistent Can

One of the more frustrating elements of Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Swansea was Emre Can’s performance. The Germany international has huge potential but too often lacks consistency. It came as no surprise to see Can withdrawn with half hour to go given his poor passing and sloppy performance. On the road, the 23-year-old’s power is an asset but he can lack patience during tight affairs at Anfield. The former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is still developing as a player but with the return of Philippe Coutinho, it could be an ideal moment to allow Can to recharge his batteries as he looks increasingly frazzled.

Title race over

It looks like Liverpool have too much work to do in the title race. Chelsea will be 10 points clear of Klopp’s side if the west London side ease past Premier League strugglers Hull City as expected. Speaking truthfully, Liverpool haven’t looked at their best over the past month and a half as a demanding fixtures schedule, absentees and some poor defensive performances have taken their toll. One suspects most realistic Liverpool fans would now settle for a top-four finish.