'Wake up... or be happy with Conference League'

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Richarlison strikes in injury time as Spurs take point from Liverpool

609 CommentsLiverpool have been here far too often this season. Another late, late goal costing them points.

This time to Richarlison in a 1-1 draw against struggling Tottenham that cost them a chance to go fourth in the table.

And don't the players - who were booed off by their fans at full-time - know it.

"I feel flat," said Dominik Szoboszlai - who scored the Reds' 18th-minute opener - on Sky Sports.

"We have to wake up because if we carry on like this, we should be happy with the Conference League. I don't know why this is happening, I honestly don't know.

"In the last minute, again, I don't know how many times this season already."

Eight times, that's how many.

Liverpool have now conceded eight Premier League goals in the 90th minute or later this season - their most in a single campaign, surpassing seven in 2010-11. Every single one has cost them points.

Why is this happening and how much could it cost them at the end of the season?

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How Spurs going direct gave Liverpool "big problems"

In over a quarter of their Premier League games this season, Liverpool have conceded either an equaliser or a losing goal after the 90-minute mark.

Five have been winning goals as they were beaten by Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth, Manchester City and Wolves.

Three have been draws - against Leeds, Fulham and now Tottenham, although that Fulham game had seen the Reds take a 2-1 lead in the fourth minute of injury time themselves before conceding three minutes later.

By comparison, Liverpool have won three matches with last minute or injury-time goals, with two of them coming in the first four games of the season.

Without those late concessions the Reds would be on 60 points and pretty much have a Champions League spot wrapped up.

Instead they are fifth - which will probably be enough for a place in next season's competition - but only one point above Chelsea, who lost at the weekend to Newcastle. Aston Villa, who are two points clear in fourth, were also beaten by third-placed Manchester United on Sunday.

"This is an absolute disaster in terms of Champions League qualification," said ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.

"With Aston Villa and Man Utd playing each other, someone was going to drop points.

"It was coming, I was saying it all second half. They have been sleepwalking. Liverpool were all over the place."

Reds boss Arne Slot admitted: "We have conceded far too many goals to pick up the amount of points that this club and I am used to."

Liverpool are not exactly air-tight in the stages before the 90th minute either.

They have conceded 15 league goals from the 75th minute onwards. No other team in the league have let in more in the final 15 minutes.

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Ngumoha a 'constant threat' in first Premier League start - Slot

Who is to blame for these late points dropped - and why so many poor performances after winning last season's Premier League title?

"Awful performance, considering the opposition. With the incentive of the other results, to put a performance in like that - but it's been like this all season," said Carragher.

"The big question is, is that down to the manager or the make-up of the squad? I'm not too sure."

What is causing it? The problem is, if Liverpool knew, they would have sorted it by now.

In a bid to find a theme, Dutchman Slot pointed out all the goals were not similar.

"Again in the last minute, again after an opportunity to score ourselves and again we leave the pitch with a disappointing result," he told Sky Sports.

"The way we concede is not always the same in the last minute. You cannot compare the deflected shot against Wolves with the shot today. All of the moments they had came from long balls and second balls and we were not able to clear the ball fast enough.

"As this season is going, it is not a complete surprise we are conceding in the last moments. "

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Slot added: "Every time it happens in the last minute it is an enormous frustration.

"How many times does it need to happen? And it happened again today. This time it didn't come as a complete surprise - the last 15-20 minutes of the game were the most equal part of the game."

And the booing from the Anfield faithful?

Both Slot and Szoboszlai said they understood it - but the midfielder added they should "support us in a difficult time", with a 1-0 deficit to overcome on Wednesday in the Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at home to Galatasaray.

"I'm 100% sure that if they show up on Wednesday that they will be supportive again from the start, but if the team doesn't perform to the standards that they are used to, I think it is completely normal that they are frustrated," added Slot.

"Arne Slot has to have a look at himself," said ex-Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"If Liverpool play like this midweek, then they will be knocked out of the Champions League."

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Rio Ngumoha was lively on his first league start

One positive for Liverpool was the performance of 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha on his first Premier League start.

He became the first player to attempt seven or more dribbles in a Premier League game and complete them all since Matheus Cunha for Wolves against Aston Villa in May 2023.

Ngumoha had previously made 11 substitute appearances in the league, and featured in each cup competition this season.

"I think I have said two months ago, he progressed so well as a 16-year-old and now 17 he is progressing well," said Slot.

"A performance like today will only help him to get more minutes for this club.

"I have 12 or 13 players that are able to bring good performances. Rio is doing that well it makes sense to play him."

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