Divock Origi spared Liverpool’s blushes as West Ham were denied successive Premier League wins at Anfield.

Adam Lallana had opened the scoring within five minutes of his return for the Reds but saw the visitors pull level courtesy of a Dimitri Payet free kick.

Things went from bad to worse for Jurgen Klopp’s side as Michail Antonio then gave the Hammers the lead against the run of play later in the half.

But Origi’s fourth strike in as many games within two minutes of the interval salvaged a point for Liverpool as they faced were six points adrift of leaders Chelsea.

Here were the key talking points from Anfield…

It’s time to recall Mignolet

 

It was a sight unbecoming of Anfield’s two greatest goalkeepers.

Ray Clemence and Bruce Grobbelaar must have wondered how their former throne had fallen into such a state of disarray since their respective heydays.

Loris Karius may not care what critics have made of his current slump in form but the detrimental impact was exposed in full against Slaven Bilic’s side.

Ever since he moved to Liverpool, the German has failed to even resemble the stopper who was named only second to Manuel Neuer in the Bundesliga.

This was the latest case in point, as he allowed himself to be beaten by Dimitri Payet’s curling free kick despite managing to get a hand to the initial effort.

Joel Matip at least offered him a get-out as Michael Antonio gave the Hammers the lead but his positioning did little to fully exonerate him of wrongdoing.

No matter how bad Simon Mignolet has been, he has never truly plummeted the depths which have exposed Karius’ current ineptitude in between the sticks.

A temporary changing of the guard is now required.

Mind the gap, Reds

 

The team atop the Premier League’s tree at Christmas are often the ones that go on to win it come the final day of the season. Or so the theory goes.

Liverpool have been the notable exception; in both 2008/09 and 2013/14, they were sitting pretty on December 25 yet ended runner-up on both occasions.

Given that statistic, superstitious Kopites may welcome not sitting pretty in a fortnight but the gulf between their side and the summit is fast widening.

Six points now separate the Reds from leaders Chelsea while second-placed Arsenal are enjoying half of that advantage in breathing space.

The right set of results can help turn things around but only if the gap has not become too insurmountable – that’s the problem Klopp’s players may face.

Still unbeaten but Anfield effect is fading

 

No one has yet to emerge victorious from Anfield this season but the new-found buzz which surrounded the revamped stadium is already beginning to fade.

That culpability belongs to the crowd as much as it does Liverpool’s players but they are not longer bouncing off each other as they once did since September.

Granted, a game against less than stellar opponents in the middle of December will not be to everyone’s liking than, say, the visit of Manchester City will prove.

But a West Ham side massively down on their luck were there for the taking, except neither the natives nor their supporters appeared intent on punishing them.

Origi distracts from Sturridge struggles

 

The prospect of a fledgling Divock Origi surpassing and even replacing Daniel Sturridge in Liverpool’s front line was a previously inconceivable notion.

Or at least it would have been when he arrived from Lille in summer 2015.

Since then, the Belgian’s stock has skyrocketed while Sturridge has floundered to a point that his presence is greeted with indifference instead of desperation.

Admittedly the side is stronger for his presence than without it but Origi is threatening to cast a shadow over that with a fourth goal in as many games.

Continue that streak at Middlesbrough and the chance to avenge Ramiro Funes Mori in next Monday’s Merseyside derby will be all the more sweeter.