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Nobody could complain about lady luck this time. Forget clinging to the performance as proof that the tide will soon turn.

Liverpool have made a habit of playing well and not winning so far this season, but there were precious few positives for Kopites to cling to at St James' Park.

This was certainly no hard luck story for the collection. Newcastle United deserved their point as Rafa Benitez thwarted his old club once again.

Given the perfect platform by Philippe Coutinho's stunning strike, Jurgen Klopp's men squandered it.

Their failings in the first half were all too familiar as they wasted chances at one end and gift-wrapped a soft equaliser to Joselu at the other.

But much more alarming was the manner in which the wheels came off in the second half.

Liverpool didn't just lose control, they lost their heads. It was horribly disjointed and Klopp couldn't hide his anger on the touchline.

Yes, they enjoyed 68% possession but they fashioned just two attempts on target all afternoon.

Klopp's lauded frontline only briefly flitted into life. Benitez's well drilled unit did a job on them but Liverpool played into their hands. It was all too slow, too predictable.

There were glaring weaknesses through the spine of the team. Daniel Sturridge couldn't grasp his chance after being restored to the starting line up.

The Reds striker endured an afternoon to forget as his touch let him down and he looked well off the pace before being taken off.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Behind him, neither Jordan Henderson nor Gini Wijnaldum stamped their authority on proceedings in the middle of the park and Liverpool's issues at centre-back were laid bare by the sight of Joselu getting away from Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip.

One win in seven matches in all competitions represents a miserable run which has accentuated the issues Klopp has yet to solve.

Of course a sense of perspective is important – Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Champions League and sit within a point of both Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League. This is far from a crisis.

But the reality is that they simply haven't kicked on as expected since the high of booking their return to Europe's elite.

(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Maybe the increased demands of Champions League football have taken their toll, but the five days since their 1-1 draw away to Spartak Moscow should have been sufficient to rest weary limbs.

The greater fear is that Klopp has placed too much trust in the talent at his disposal.

There were key areas that Liverpool didn't strengthen in the transfer window and the past month has brought the club's summer business into sharp focus. They simply didn't do enough.

Why wasn't there a Plan B when Southampton refused to sell them Virgil van Dijk? Why weren't Liverpool in the market for a top-class striker capable of turning scrappy draws into priceless wins?

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Yes, Naby Keita will give them the dynamism in midfield they're currently lacking, but it will be next July before he pulls on the shirt.

Mohamed Salah has been a big hit but he's the only signing who has actually bolstered Klopp's starting XI.

Dominic Solanke has made a decent impression and was lively during his late cameo but he's still raw and one for the future.

Andy Robertson didn't even make the bench and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's tough start to his Anfield career continues.

The England international should have been basking in the glory of grabbing a dramatic winner but nodded over at the death.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has to be cut some slack with Klopp adamant he needs time to adjust to his new surroundings. He was signed for five years, not five weeks.

But anyone who questioned where he would fit in at Liverpool is still none the wiser. His only start came in the abject League Cup defeat at Leicester.

When you shell out £35million for a player well versed in Premier League football you're entitled to expect a pretty quick return on your investment. So far there's been none.

The afternoon started with the travelling Kop paying homage to Benitez, who showed his class by making Margaret Aspinall from the Hillsborough Family Support Group the guest of honour.

(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

After the frustrating midweek draw in Moscow, Klopp sought fresh legs with Wijnaldum, Sturridge, Joe Gomez and Simon Mignolet all recalled.

However, the opening 45 minutes brought more of the same for Klopp as he watched his side once again fail to make their dominance count.

An early breakaway saw Salah pick out Sadio Mane but the return pass was wayward and the opening disappeared. Both wingers were strangely below par.

Mane volleyed wide before another promising counter saw Sturridge release Salah. His pace should have taken him clear but a poor touch meant he ran into trouble.

Wijnaldum hasn’t netted on his travels at club level since scoring for PSV Eindhoven in May 2015 but he was inches away from ending that drought.

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The Dutchman's flick from Coutinho's corner struck the post and in the ensuing scramble Lovren and Mane both somehow failed to stick it away.

Just before the half-hour mark the pressure finally told. There appeared to be little danger when Coutinho latched on to a defensive header on the left, but the little Brazilian has that rare ability to make something out of nothing.

Coutinho skipped inside past Jonjo Shelvey and whipped an unstoppable 25-yarder inside Rob Elliot's near post.

It was Coutinho's third goal in as many games. No wonder Liverpool snubbed that £118million offer from Barcelona. He really is priceless.

The Reds' joy was shortlived as within seven minutes Benitez's side were level. The visitors were carved open by a simple ball down the middle as Joselu burst between Matip and Lovren.

(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Matip got back to make the challenge but the ball bounced off the former Stoke striker's shin and bobbled past Mignolet.

Unlucky? Yes. But Joselu should never have found himself in that position. Liverpool just don't have a real leader back there.

Klopp's mood didn't improve when some shirt pulling on Lovren from a corner went unpunished.

In the second half standards slipped. Liverpool got ragged. Sturridge pounced on Ciaran Clark's mistake but couldn't beat Elliot and Salah blazed over.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The lack of composure at both ends of the field was as alarming as the lack of quality.

Klopp was slow to ring the changes, belatedly putting on Roberto Firmino, Solanke and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Liverpool remained unconvincing with Oxlade-Chamberlain missing their best chance from Alberto Moreno's cross.

After a bang average September, the Reds have kicked off October with a whimper.

MAN OF THE MATCH. Philippe Coutinho. Another special goal but the lack of quality around him was alarming.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Elliot, Lascelles, Manquillo, Yedlin, Clark, Atsu, Merino (Hayden 74), Shelvey, Ritchie, Perez (Diame 90), Joselu (Gayle 77). Subs: Darlow, Murphy, Lejeune, Gamez. BOOKING: Perez. GOAL: Joselu 36.

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet, Gomez, Lovren, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Salah (Oxlade-Chamberlain 84), Sturridge (Firmino 74), Mane (Solanke 74). Subs: Karius, Klavan, Milner, Can. BOOKING: Gomez. GOAL: Coutinho 29.

REFEREE: Craig Pawson

ATT: 52,303