Mohamed Salah failed to find the target Liverpool were held by Stoke City.

Jurgen Klopp’s side almost took an early lead in the lunchtime kick-off at Anfield only for the Egyptian’s chipped effort to sail wide of goal.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield:

Salah walks among mortals again

 

It was bound to happen sooner or later for Mohamed Salah.

His goal-scoring form remains irrepressible but even Liverpool’s current master marksman is capable of having rare off-days.

No Premier League records were going to tumble in Salah’s wake as he found the wrong side of Jack Butland’s netting at regular intervals.

A one-on-one situation with the Stoke goalkeeper promised one of the Egyptian’s trademark chipped finishes but instead floated wide of goal.

Salah may have defied the odds but this game proved that is human after all.

That record number of Premier League goals in a 38-game season will have to wait for another week. Maybe fate has destined it to happen against Chelsea.

Reds’ minds already on Roma

 

After the euphoria of Tuesday’s win over Roma, Anfield could have been forgiven for suffering from the potential comedown effect.

Despite Jurgen Klopp’s best efforts, a lunchtime encounter against the Potters had hangover written all over it before a ball had even been kicked.

The Liverpool manager demanded a repeat of the fervent atmosphere which helped gain an upper hand in his side’s Champions League semi-final first leg.

But even with some inevitable changes, his side appeared more focused on their forthcoming meeting with the Serie A giants than they were on Stoke.

That disinterest was reflected when a late first-half injury to Jordan Henderson, although minor, sparked a surreal hush over the stadium.

On either side of the touchline, reaching the final of Europe’s elite club competition is clearly preoccupying the minds as much as the hearts.

TAA turns yet another corner

 

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool future may not be all it currently seems.

This season has seen the best and worst that the West Derby-born defender has to offer but none could have anticipated a break out of his comfort zone.

Klopp deployed Alexander-Arnold on the right-hand side of midfield where he largely excelled despite being hampered by an injury before the interval.

Few would have envisaged the teenager stepping into a more advanced role n the side, particularly with the current personal already settled in their ranks.

That should still not prevent him from considering a more versatile role within the squad and following in the footsteps of Anfield’s recent history.

After all, the last homegrown player who made a midfield role his own didn’t do too badly…

No sadness in Stoke demise

 

If this year ultimately proves to be Stoke’s last hurrah in the Premier League, they will not find many mourners within the Anfield faithful.

A resolute performance from Paul Lambert’s side was not met with begrudging respect from the masses that traipsed away from L4 on Saturday.

There has never been any love lost between the Potteries and Merseyside, and even less so after a handball claim against Erik Pieters was waved away.

An indignant home crowd were further incensed by a perceived level of physicality by the likes of Ryan Shawcross on Roberto Firmino in the second half.

Suffice to say, the Championship’s gain will not be Liverpool’s loss.