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GRAHAM AGG (Netherton): Progression stamped all over this season despite defeat to average United

A disappointing Liverpool performance at Old Trafford against a very average Manchester United team was proven by the result from Old Trafford on Tuesday which saw Mourinho's United crash out of the Champions League against a bog standard Sevilla team.

Nevertheless, despite the defeat at Old Trafford, so far it has been a very good season with progression stamped all over it.

Just four league defeats all season from 30 matches and through to the last eight of the Champions League, averaging two points per Premier League game with 60 points from 30 matches we now face the final run-in to the season with an outstanding chance still to clinch second place in the Premier League table and qualification for next season's Champions League and progress even further in the holy grail of the Champions League this season as we await to find out our next opponents in the draw for the quarter finals tomorrow in Switzerland.

The next three league matches are Watford at home followed by away games at relegation threatened Crystal Palace and the little matter of a Derby match at Goodison against Everton.

Liverpool must surely be aiming for at the very least seven points from those three fixtures and it is vitally important that they maintain focus because Chelsea and Tottenham are still fighting hard for a top four finish but with those two clubs playing each other at this weekend it is even more important that we win on Saturday versus Watford - who are still not mathematically safe from relegation.

I, like all Liverpool supporters worldwide await with intense anticipation and excitement to see who we face in the next round of the Champions League, make no mistake there will be no easy opponents from the last eight but if you were to offer me the chance to pick our next opponents then I would have to plump for Sevilla who beat us in the Europa League final in Basle just 22 months ago and to give us a chance to avenge that utterly disappointing Europa League defeat.

Jürgen Klopp, ably assisted by his backroom team of Zeljko 'Brains' Buvac and Peter Krawietz have performed miracles this season with football of the highest quality that at times that is a joy to behold.

There have been fantastic victories, 5-0 away at FC Porto, 7-0 victories at Maribor and at home to Spartak Moscow and 104 goals in just 41 matches.

Let us not forget the utter demolition of unbeaten Manchester City at Anfield with the sort of football that was an absolute joy to watch.

The only disappointing aspects to this season was the early elimination in both domestic cup competitions against mediocre opponents, however I certainly would not swap Jürgen Klopp for any other manager at present in world football - and I include even Pep Guardiola in that statement

Can he perform yet another miracle and lead Liverpool all the way to the Champions League final in Kiev?



JOHN ROWAN (Walton): Patience with Lovren is wearing thin

A perfectly adequate performance in the virtual dead rubber against Porto was followed by one of the biggest games of the season.

Another meltdown like we saw at the Etihad and Wembley looked a real possibility as United took a two goal lead. An improved second half wasn’t enough to salvage a point on a frustrating afternoon.

It’s been said that Mourinho outfoxed Klopp. I’m not so sure about that.

He unquestionably blunted Liverpool’s attack by starving the front three of possession but United’s win came virtue of two simple punts launched upfield.

That Liverpool failed to deal with this is down to the defensive lapses that we’ve seen repeatedly for years. Recent signings may have improved things but further changes are clearly needed.

Lovren seemed a little over-eager when he stated with some gusto in the press on how he was the perfect partner for Virgil van Dijk. I was never truly persuaded by his recent performances.

poll loading Do you want to see Dejan Lovren partnering Virgil van Dijk next season? 11000+ VOTES SO FAR YES: They can forge an effective partnership NO: He's had enough chances to prove his worth

His error against Tottenham last month was largely ignored due to the fuss over the VAR and Karius saving the subsequent penalty.

His goal against Dortmund two seasons ago was touted as the turning point in his Liverpool career and it turned out to be no such thing – just one of several false dawns from a player who is running out of chances.

Some of the criticism that has come his way since Saturday is a little harsh. Very few men can outmuscle Lukaku but the reaction shows that patience is wearing thin.

The spot alongside van Dijk remains up for grabs which speaks for itself.

I didn’t think that there was much wrong with this Liverpool team on Saturday morning and it will take more than a narrow away defeat to a strong and well-organised team with deep pockets to make me think otherwise.



SAM PLANCHE (Maghull): Midfield set-up needs a revamp

It’s been a few days now since the disappointment of the result in Manchester and it still doesn’t feel any better.

We gifted them the points and that is the frustrating element.

We have defended better recently but we played into Mourinho’s hands this time. For an experienced defender in Lovren to be bullied by Lukaku and step right out leaving others exploited is unacceptable.

Mourinho had a basic plan of a long ball, Lukaku flick on and then Rashford to get in behind.

Trent didn’t have the best game, but he will learn. As a youngster you need the experienced defender to help you out and it happens to often now that in the big games Lovren makes mistakes. He has to go for me. If we are not ruthless we will never make that next step.

I don’t think Lovren should take all the blame. One of the defensive midfielders Can and Milner needed to stand in front of Lovern to deny Lukaku space to run and jump for the flick-on.

This has been done by Lucas against Lukaku in the past. The front three got tightly marked and in these cases you require quality from the centre midfield three players.

This is lacking and needs a revamp. We do have hardworking midfielders but need a bit more quality, goals and magic in there. Keita may help this, Ox if he gains consistency or Lallana with fitness but we do need to purchase higher quality in that area for me to supplement what we have.

It’s not all negative, we have been on a good run lately and have some excellent players. When you lose a big game you need to analyse and try to improve.

The Champions League run is great and long may it continue, let us dream again.

ROBERT STORRY (City Centre): We're back to suffering blatantly wrong key decisions at Old Trafford

Time and time again we visit Old Trafford and end up feeling aggrieved at major decisions that go against us, and Saturday was no exception.

How so many offences can go unpunished, would ordinarily be beyond belief.

You expect human error in football, and to not always get decisions in your favour, that’s part and parcel of the game we love.

Debate can rage for days, months, even years, as we on Merseyside well know, with several isolated incidents within Merseyside Derby matches still being argued about up to fifty years later.

But when you are denied results on the back of so many blatantly wrong key decisions in the same match, it makes a defeat even harder to take. When you leave a ground thinking that there was something untoward about a refereeing performance, you question the fairness of the game.

During Alex Ferguson's reign, we suffered at the hands of numerous referees who appeared to have a real fear of officiating there, but last Saturday's was quite probably the worst of the lot.

(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

This sort of thing stopped whille the less fearful Louis Van Gaal and David Moyes were in charge, and now appears to have returned under Mourinho.

The handball was a full ten yards away and while the cross from Andy Robertson may have been at some speed, how long should a player be allowed, to get his arm out of the way?

How on earth some pundits could say with a straight face that it wasn’t a penalty is beyond me.

And in addition to the various on-field incidents that were highlighted, whilst many saw Klopp being reprimanded for running down the touchline, those watching on television would not have seen just how many times Mourinho was yards outside his technical area, while the officials turned a blind eye.

With all that said, despite all the possession, Liverpool were a shadow of what we’ve come to expect this season. Totally overrun in midfield for large parts of the game, and the attack almost non-existent. Manchester United certainly got it spot-on tactically.