Liverpool suffered a third successive Champions League away defeat at Red Star Belgrade.

Milan Pavkov put the Reds on the back foot as the hosts took the lead on 22 minutes when the striker rose to head home from a Marko Marin corner.

Matters worsened for Jurgen Klopp’s side just seven minutes later as carelessness allowed Pavkov to make inroads before unleashing a powerful shot past Alisson.

Here were the key talking points from the Rajko Mitic Stadium:

Lallana loyalty is helping nobody

 

Jurgen Klopp prides himself on loyalty, but sometimes it can be misplaced.

The Liverpool manager’s latest crusade to reintegrate Adam Lallana into his first-team plans is a particular case in point after his showing in the Serbian capital.

Arguably, the England international was only included due to the political storm which saw Xherdan Shaqiri grounded for this latest Group C encounter.

Deployed in midfield, Lallana again failed to assert himself and has not been helped by a side which has far evolved beyond the one which he departed.

Frustration eventually got the better of him with a reckless challenge on Marko Marin, the Reds’ tormentor-in-chief on the night, meriting a yellow card.

Admirable as Klopp’s sentiments are in backing one of his trusted former lieutenants, they are not helping anyone at Anfield – including Lallana himself.

Sturridge hits England call-up into touch

 

Any hopes Daniel Sturridge had of an England recall look increasingly ominous.

Memories of a three-goal streak in September have faded in the five subsequent outings, with his latest 45-minute offering failing to inspire confidence.

Sturridge had a perfect opportunity to put Liverpool ahead just minutes before Milan Pavkov opened the scoring but somehow fluffed his lines from close-range.

The striker’s return from the brink has been a remarkable one; particularly considering that a loan spell at West Brom appeared to be the point of no return.

But Gareth Southgate could be forgiven for considering alternative options to lead the line during this month’s double header against the United States and Croatia.

Reds’ fate back in the hands of others

 

It has been a while since Liverpool found themselves at the mercy of others, especially where progress to the Champions League’s latter stage is concerned.

Last season’s group campaign was fairly relaxed with the only uncertainty in the final weeks being whether they would go through as its leaders or runner-up.

No such luck, this time around.

A trip to Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month has already thrown up a list of permutations that would be enough to give anyone a severe headache.

Winning at the Parc Des Princes will be enough for Klopp’s side to progress if Red Star fail to emerge victorious from an away trip to Napoli on the same night.

Should the Ligue 1 holders avoid defeat, Liverpool face the prospect of a decisive finale when they welcome Carlo Ancelotti’s Partonopei on December 11.

Anfield may have to brace itself for a return of continental knife-edge encounters.

Defence shows rare vulnerability

 

A performance of this nature was always coming for Liverpool. At some point, Dr Jekyll had to invariably be followed by the horror of Mr Hyde this season.

Imperious in both defence and attack, infallibility could only last for so long – and it was the former who appeared more vulnerable than the misfiring latter.

Virgil van Dijk has rarely been unflappable but appeared out of sorts in Belgrade, notably as both he and Joe Gomez afforded Pavkov the slip for the hosts’ opener.

Alisson, too, faltered as he failed to thwart the Red Star striker’s follow-up strike, although Georginio Wijnaldum must bear some responsibility for the build-up.

Relinquishing possession in the heart of midfield afforded Pavkov free reign to bear down on the Brazilian’s goal and deal a killer blow for the visitors.

For all the plaudits Liverpool’s back line has received, this was a rare sight of its vulnerability.