Liverpool were held by Sevilla in a thrilling Champions League group opener.

Wissam Ben Yedder had handed the visitors a surprise early lead when he slotted home after Dejan Lovren had failed to clear Sergio Escudero’s cross.

Liverpool’s response came from a neat one-two from Alberto Moreno against his former club allowed him to tee up Roberto Firmino for the equaliser.

The hosts went in ahead at the break after Mo Salah dispossessed Steven N’Zonzi before his shot took a fortuitous deflection off defender Simon Kjaer.

Firmino should have added to the Reds’ advantage when Sadio Mane won a penalty but blazed his effort against Sergio Rico’s left-hand post.

Philippe Coutinho made his first competitive outing of the season as a late substitute while Sevilla manager Eduardo Berizzo was sent to the stands.

However Angel Correa pulled his side back level while Liverpool were reduced to ten men in stoppage time as Joe Gomez received a second yellow card.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Reds already running out of steam

 

Liverpool should have been out of sight before the half time interval and that in itself must already set alarm bells ringing for Jurgen Klopp.

Critics of his high-pressing approach have regularly argued that its biggest flaw is the lack of contingency when its momentum runs out.

Sevilla punished that shortcoming well and truly here and the sense of inevitability which came with it was unsurprising for many inside Anfield.

How many times have the Reds failed to kill off games despite dominating both possession and chances for the best part? Too many for some.

It is a pattern which will continue until Klopp’s player become more clinical.

Barely a month into the season, they already appear to have hit the buffers.

Mission accomplished for Moreno

 

History has finally come full circle for Alberto Moreno’s Liverpool career.

Often maligned during three underwhelming years at Anfield, the left-back’s failure to secure an exit this summer has provided a welcome twist of fate.

Given how Sevilla exposed his greatest flaws in the 2016 Europa League final, the greatest test of Moreno would be how he fared against his old club.

At both ends of the pitch, he passed with flying colours; not least an impressive move which allowed Roberto Firmino to pull Liverpool level.

Perhaps Klopp was right to persevere with the former Spain international after all. It could prove to be his greatest masterstroke in the long run.

Defensive misfits will continue to cost

 

It seems Klopp may have been worrying about the wrong defenders after all.

Whatever misgivings the Liverpool manager may have harboured on starting Moreno against his former side disappeared with Dejan Lovren’s blunder.

A player of the Croatia international’s experience should not be prone to such regular blunders such as this but it has become a worrying recurrence.

He was also notable by his absence when Angel Correa pulled Sevilla level by wandering through unchallenged before firing past an advancing Loris Karius.

Karius himself was far from blameless and Klopp’s faith in his compatriot for Liverpool’s Champions League campaign already appears to be misplaced.

Regularly the German stopper was guilty of flapping at crosses into his box, opting to punch the ball at moments where he could have as easily collected.

Expect more of the same from both Karius and Lovren as this season progresses.

All is forgiven with Phil

 

Philippe Coutinho’s return was always going to play out in one of two ways.

Judging by the mixed response that greeted his name ahead of kick-off, some were more forgiving than others following a summer saga with Barcelona.

As he replaced Emre Can, 15 minutes from time, it was a very different story as unconditional support and cheers came the Brazilian’s way on his arrival.

The Anfield faithful will demand more from Coutinho than the largely low-key affair in which his touches were both heavy and limited in equal measure.

But the first step of reconciliation has been passed and last month’s mania appears to have finally been forgiven. It was never really in doubt, was it?