New season, same old Liverpool .

Box office at one end, car crash at the other.

For Kopites, the opening day of the Reds' 2017/18 campaign ended with a painful sense of deja vu.

Two points were carelessly tossed away deep into stoppage time when Miguel Britos earned Watford a share of the spoils.

Yes, a sense of injustice lingered as the Uruguayan centre-back was marginally offside when he forced the ball home after substitute Richarlison had struck the bar.

But the bottom line is that Liverpool only had themselves to blame on a rollercoaster afternoon when their defensive frailties were once again exposed.

The panic which accompanies their attempts to deal with the most basic of set-pieces is embarrassing. And the problems run much deeper than merely pointing a finger at Jurgen Klopp's zonal marking.

Show Player

It's about personnel. It was last season and it's no surprise that the same mistakes are still being made because Liverpool still haven't strengthened in the areas where fans craved reinforcements the most.

The need for greater leadership and physicality in the backline is glaring and it's a worry that it hasn't been addressed prior to the crunch Champions League play-off with Hoffenheim.

Klopp was adamant this summer that a lack of concentration rather than a lack of quality was to blame for the Reds' damaging habit of leaking so many soft goals, but that faith is misplaced.

Liverpool are crying out for a dominant centre-back. They must either make Southampton an offer they can't refuse for Virgil van Dijk or spend that £60million elsewhere because maintaining the status quo is asking for trouble.

They also require a centre midfielder capable of injecting some real dynamism into the spine of the team.

If they don't plug those gaps over the closing weeks of the window, there's a serious danger that Liverpool will fail to build on last term's fourth placed finish and squander their shot at returning to Europe's elite.

(Image: Daniel Hambury/PA Wire)

If they do belatedly produce the show of ambition in the transfer market which supporters crave then 2017/18 could be a season to savour because going forward Klopp's men are going to do some serious damage.

Liverpool were horribly disjointed for most of the opening 45 minutes against Watford, but when they finally found some fluency in the second half they carved out a succession of chances.

There isn't a more potent front three in the Premier League than Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, who all got on the score sheet at Vicarage Road.

When Philippe Coutinho finally accepts he's not going to Barcelona this summer and stops stamping his feet, he may just come to the conclusion that hanging around for another 12 months to play behind that trio isn't so bad.

It was selfish of the Brazilian to rock Liverpool's preparations by submitting a transfer request on the eve of the new campaign but from FSG's perspective it changes nothing.

With Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana to return, Klopp has plenty of firepower but it's at the other end where they are found wanting.

Klopp inherited defensive issues 22 months ago and his 100th game in charge merely underlined that he's still battling to find a solution.

Teenager Trent Alexander-Arnold could hold his head high after shining at right-back, while Alberto Moreno enjoyed a mixed afternoon after being handed a first Premier League start since last October.

Moreno, who was on the brink of being sold a month ago, clearly has improved having impressed Klopp with his attitude in pre-season. But the Spaniard remains defensively suspect and isn't alert enough to the danger around him.

Klopp insisted Liverpool were ready for the big kick-off but they were way off the pace early on. Sloppy in possession, they got bullied by the Hornets as they lost battles all over the field.

WATCH IN FULL: Klopp press conference after Watford draw

The Reds fell behind inside eight minutes. Jose Holebas swung in a corner and Stefano Okaka took advantage of some woeful marking to power a header past Simon Mignolet from four yards out.

Nobody took responsibility as those in red stood like statues and watched the hulking Italian frontman break the deadlock.

The midfield trio of captain Jordan Henderson, Emre Can and Gini Wijnaldum struggled to gain any semblance of control as passes continually went astray.

Just before the half hour mark the Reds finally came to life.

A classy move was started and finished by Mane, who dummied Moreno's pass and ran on to Can's flick.

The Senegal international took a touch to steady himself and fired clinically beyond Heurelho Gomes.

Liverpool's joy was short lived as within two minutes they had shot themselves in the foot again.

Henderson failed to track Tom Cleverley's run and after Alexander-Arnold's attempted clearance struck Joel Matip, Abdoulaye Doucoure accepted the gift.

'Where is Coutinho?' crowed the home fans as Klopp gesticulated widely on the touchline for his players to some show composure.

Debutant Salah should have levelled before the break but fired over and then the outstanding Mane sent a glancing header just wide.

In the second half Liverpool raised the bar. They moved the ball quicker and started to really stretch the Hornets.

Having been on the periphery in the opening 45 minutes, club record signing Salah came to life and Watford couldn't handle his blistering pace as they conceded twice in the space of three minutes.

(Image: Daniel Hambury/PA Wire)

Firstly, the Egypt international was sent sprawling in the box by Gomes and Firmino stepped up to make it 2-2 from the spot.

Liverpool's one Brazilian who remains fully committed to the cause then turned provider.

Firmino's control from Dejan Lovren's lofted pass was exquisite and he lobbed the on-rushing keeper. It was drifting wide but Salah was alert and followed up to poke it home. The travelling Kop erupted.

Finally, Liverpool started to play with a swagger and they should have killed the game off.

Moreno and Lovren were both denied by Gomes, while Joel Matip's header bounced back off the bar as Alexander-Arnold excelled on corner duties.

Salah was put through by Mane's clever pass but couldn't provide the finish.

Watford looked a spent force but in the closing stages Liverpool started to retreat and look too hold on to what they had. In truth they weren't helped by Klopp's substitutions. James Milner on for Salah was his way of shutting up shop and it backfired.

On the cusp of victory, once again a corner proved their undoing. Once again the organisation and awareness was shoddy.

Some 27 of the 85 Premier League goals Liverpool have conceded under Klopp have come from set-pieces – nearly a third. That's an alarming statistic.

New season, same old Liverpool.



MATCH FACTS

Watford: Gomes, Janmaat (Femenia 18), Kaboul, Britos, Holebas, Chalobah, Doucoure, Amrabat, Cleverley, Pereyra (Richarlison 49), Okaka (Gray 63)

Not used: Pantilimon, Prodl, Watson, Capoue

Liverpool: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold (Gomez 90), Lovren, Matip, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Wijnaldum, Mane, Firmino (Origi 81), Salah (Milner 86).

Not used: Karius, Klavan, Gomez, Grujic, Solanke

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Goals: Okaka 8, Mane 29, Doucoure 32, Firmino 55, Salah 57, Britos 90+3

Bookings: Mane, Alexander-Arnold, Mignolet

Man of the match: Sadio Mane.