"For 10 second-half minutes at Anfield, it was almost as if no time had passed at all. As the home supporters cheered and swirled their scarves in the air in homage to Dominik Szoboszlai's sublime free kick against Manchester City, it was like the Liverpool of last season had returned, intent on reminding the watching world of their status as Premier League champions."
"By the time the full-time whistle blew, however, the only celebrations were coming from the away end as the travelling City fans revelled in their team's first league double over Liverpool since 1937, courtesy of late goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland. It was a sight much more in keeping with the story of the Reds' sorry campaign. Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Pep Guardiola's side was their eighth loss of the season in the top flight."
"Perhaps the biggest worry for the Dutchman, though, is that the culture of unerring conviction and fealty cultivated by his predecessor Jürgen Klopp is now under serious threat. Following his appointment in 2015, Klopp recognised the disillusionment within the Liverpool fanbase and called for supporters to change from "doubters to believers." At times this season, it has felt as though those reserves of belief -- both on the pitch and in the stands -- have emptied."
Liverpool briefly recaptured last season's form when Dominik Szoboszlai scored a sublime free kick that energized the Anfield crowd. Manchester City staged a late comeback through Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland to win 2-1, completing their first league double over Liverpool since 1937. The defeat was Liverpool's eighth of the Premier League season and leaves them with only six wins from their last 20 league matches. Liverpool now trail fourth-placed Manchester United by five points and face a difficult path to Champions League qualification. Head coach Arne Slot confronts concerns over eroding squad conviction and waning fan belief rooted in the culture built under Jürgen Klopp.
Read at ESPN.com
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