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The defeat to Newcastle was incredibly disappointing on Sunday.

You try hard not to get carried away but it’s hard sometimes.

Mistakes were made across the board but what stood out for me was the fact we got out-fought.

The same happened with physically big teams like West Ham and Crystal Palace with their pace and power.

We’ve struggled to deal with these big, physical teams this season.

Newcastle had nothing else apart from their physicality. The game was heading for 0-0 until Skrtel’s intervention. If we’d have got the first goal we'd have gone on to win the game I’m sure but the longer it went on I knew they’d win – I could smell it.

I’m certain Steve McClaren sent them out to get stuck into us and they probably put in three really big challenges – two of them were really poor and could have seen a sending off.

But our players have got to be able to take a yellow back at some stage – not get sent off for something daft but let them know you can’t be bullied. We’re not a big team and we accepted it.

We really missed the physical presence of Emre Can for me.

Roberto Firmino is playing as if something is wrong, mentally and physically. He’s been absolutely redundant the last two games after such a great display at Man City.

It can’t just be the fact his mate Coutinho has been missing.

Christian Benteke played badly – he was stood outside the box when two good crosses came in, one from Moreno – but it was Firmino who made him look worse. Everything Benteke needed from him was absent in a horrible display.

He needed him to be the link man but he wasn’t there. Benteke won his flick-ons but he was nowhere near him.

Firmino was the missing link and things improved when Adam Lallana, who played well, came on. It was like chalk and cheese.

The Brazilian also pulled out of a challenge that was 55-45 in his favour. Liverpool fans won’t accept that. I’ve been going for 50 years and I know it’s unacceptable.

If the ball is there to be won you win it. He’s going to have to learn to get stuck in.

The decision by the linesman for the Moreno ‘goal’ was a really bad one, a shocker really, but Liverpool have had their share of those go our way this year so we just have to move on and bounce back on Sunday.

Southampton display showed Origi at his best

Liverpool delivered an absolutely fantastic display against Southampton to take us into the semi finals of the Capital One Cup.

As a manager, Jurgen Klopp knew he had to rotate but changing three strikers for a different three doesn’t always work.

But it was a great display and the thing that stood out was the fact we saw Divock Origi at his best.

It really was a stunning hat-trick and display overall.

There’s much more to come from him because he’s only young but that was great to see.

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As for Daniel Sturridge, well he’s just a class act.

The manager has four really good options at the front if Daniel Sturridge stays fit, though that’s the big question of course.

We also saw Jordon Ibe score his second goal for the club.

With Ibe he’s got to work at what he does in the final third, his final pass and his shooting.

If he can get sorted, Liverpool have a hell of a player on their hands.

A bit more confidence, lots more work and there is massive potential to come from him.

Klopp must ring the changes for Sion

Liverpool should name a piece meal team for the Europa League tie against Sion on Thursday night.

The benefits of finishing first or second in the group seem unclear and you’re probably just as likely to get a good team if you finish top.

Even if there is an advantage, we only need a draw and that should play nicely into our hands.

Jurgen Klopp should use the game to get some more experience into players like Connor Randall and Jordan Rossiter while basically anyone who’s not going to start in Sunday’s midfield should play.

We’ve got two players for every position now and we’ve still got players who need games – the likes of Jordan Henderson and Benteke need game time.

A few games ago we couldn’t imagine we’d be in this position and already qualified so all Klopp’s focus should be on Sunday instead.

West Brom feels like a massive game

West Brom on Sunday is now a massive game for Liverpool to try to get things back on track.

It’s going to be tough because you always know what you’ll get from a Tony Pulis team.

A win this weekend would have put us right in among the mix but not too much damage was done by our rivals.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not getting carried away – I’d take fourth all day long – but we’ve still got an outside chance of getting involved in the title race.

After all, if Man City don’t win it, who does?

It’s the most open Premier League for a long time and anything can happen.