Trent Alexander-Arnold could take no more of it as Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League title were dashed following their 2-0 loss to Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
By winning the match, the Goodison Park hosts extended their lead above the relegation zone in the league and dealt a devastating blоw to Liverpool’s hopes of winning the championship.
The blue half of Merseyside was awarded bragging rights thanks to goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as Liverpool’s performance this season fell well short of Jurgen Klopp’s typical levels.
Liverpool’s defence similarly failed to contain Everton’s direct оffensive threаt, and Mohamed Salah had one of his least productive performances in a long time.
After Joe Gomez replaced Alexander-Arnold in the 84th minute, the defense collapsed to two goals that could have been prevented, and Alexander-Arnold could no longer bear to watch.
The vice captain of Liverpool appeared dejected in the dugout as reality set in and he anguishedly stared up at the sky as his teammates were unable to tie the game.
Alexander-Arnold hid under his training top to avoid being seen by the public, perhaps unable to accept that Liverpool’s hopes of winning the Premier League were no longer in their hands.
Then, while other Liverpool players nervously sat next to him, he buried his head in his hands and watched as Liverpool’s desperate attempts to defeat Everton kept failing.
The 25-year-old has had a difficult personal season, playing a key role in games but also struggling at times due to difficult injuries.
Conor Bradley, an Academy product, has occasionally filled in for Alexander-Arnold, but after becoming healthy again, the more seasoned player was thrown back into Klopp’s starting lineup.
After losing to Everton, the Reds are now just one point ahead of Manchester City, who still have a game to play, and three points behind Arsenal, the current Premier League leaders.
Wednesday’s error added to the challenging month that Klopp and his Liverpool team have had after they were eliminated from the Europa League and had their hopes of winning the Premier League falter in recent matches.
