sport news What can Jurgen Klopp do to fire up Liverpool after their Fulham draw? trends now
What a difference a week can make.
From the high of beating Manchester City in the Community Shield with a dazzling display to the frustration of being held to a 2-2 draw by Fulham on the opening day of the Premier League season.
Seven days is certainly a long time in football but for Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team, there is already a sense that their backs are against the wall.
A frustrated Jurgen Klopp watched on as his Liverpool side were held to a 2-2 draw at Fulham
In a title battle with Pep Guardiola's side where any slip up feels like the end of the world, Klopp will be worried that a sluggish start could end any hope of competing before we even get out of August.
It may seem very reactionary to say that, but those are the standards the teams have set in the last four seasons and the disappointment of leaving two points at Fulham was there for all to see.
Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk looked furious as they walked back to the dressing room at the full-time whistle while Klopp - who looked annoyed all afternoon - had shared some stern words with Alisson and was angry when Andy Robertson chose the wrong option.
As well as the abject performance, Klopp is having to deal with a growing list of injuries to key players, question marks over his midfield options and that his defence is far too prone to lapses.
Worryingly for fans, however, the German manager had concerns about his players' attitude at Craven Cottage - an accusation that has rarely been levelled at his 'mentality monsters'.
The Reds already cannot afford to drop many more points in the title race with Man City
Speaking after the game - in which Salah bailed the Reds out with a late equaliser - Klopp said: 'The best thing about today was the result.
'The fact we got a point after a really bad game from my side. Now it’s a question of "how can that happen?"
'The attitude was not right in the beginning, then we wanted to fight back, but you don’t find it easy anymore.
'The pitch was dry, we played into their cards… The result is fine, I don’t think we deserve more than that. But the performance is massively improvable.'
Was it a case of taking Fulham too lightly after they brushed aside City at the King Power Stadium a week earlier?
The performance was lacklustre throughout. Liverpool were never in control of the game and could barely string a succession of passes together in the first half as the newly-promoted side smothered and suffocated them.
With Liverpool trailing 1-0 just after half time, the injury crisis got worse when Thiago Alcantara pulled up with a suspected hamstring problem.
Klopp is already without Naby Keita, Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota. Everybody is needed to contribute at Liverpool so that many injuries is a huge problem.
Thiago limped off with a hamstring problem - another injury to add to Liverpool's lengthy list
Midfield depth at Anfield had already been the subject of fierce debate during the off-season. Were there enough options and talent to get Liverpool across the line in the Premier League
