Liverpool had to stage a second half fightback to see off Swansea City.

Poor marking allowed Leroy Fer to gift the hosts an early lead at the Liberty Stadium before the Reds sprung to life after the half-time interval.

Roberto Firmino levelled the scoring before James Milner completed the comeback for Jurgen Klopp’s side with comfortably dispatched penalty.

Here were the main talking points from the Liberty Stadium…

Banana skins a thing of past for Reds

 

Prior to last weekend’s visit of Hull City, Jurgen Klopp had addressed Liverpool’s issues with ‘bus parking’ sides.

If the Tigers were an immovable object then Swansea were another banana skin – one the Reds have found themselves caught on too many times.

Their most recent visit to the Liberty Stadium in May continued a miserable run in which they had won only once in their previous five visits to Wales.

And despite Francesco Guidolin facing a precarious future with the Swans, they were far from pushovers when facing Jurgen Klopp’s high-octane side.

Others have also been in danger of coming unstuck against them, with Manchester City requiring a contentious penalty decision to turn the tables.

Liverpool also required a spot kick intervention, and a horrendous late miss from Mike van der Hoorn, to help them over the line but this was a significant result.

When opportunity has knocked at Anfield, it has been games against the supposed lesser lights which have proved the club’s greatest undoing.

Successive wins over two previous banana skins suggests that a corner appears to have been turned.

Defensive recruits causing concern

 

It should not have been like this for Liverpool’s defensive reinforcements.

Loris Karius and Joel Matip were supposed to fit seamlessly into their new surroundings following Klopp’s scouting of his former Bundesliga patch.

Judging by the pair’s performance at the Liberty Stadium, the transition has taken longer than many in the red half of Merseyside had anticipated.

Karius had arrived as Simon Mignolet’s heir apparent but, on his second first-team outing, appeared unsure of himself in both command and distribution.

Matip fared marginally better although Borja Baston’s profligacy afforded the Cameroonian a huge reprieve after failing to track the Swansea striker.

There was not enough evidence to suggest that Mamadou Sakho represents a safer pair of feet than the former Schalke defender.

However Mignolet will be quietly confident of receiving the nod ahead of Karius for the visit of Manchester United after the international break.

Firmino takes the Coutinho mantle

 

Asking Liverpool fans which player was their most indispensable just 12 months ago would have generated an instantaneous response.

It was unquestionably Philippe Coutinho.

Fast-forward to the present day and a Brazilian’s name remains on their lips, but it’s not the one dubbed ‘The Magician’ by the Kop.

Roberto Firmino underlined once again why he has managed to steal the spotlight from his esteemed colleague over the past few months.

Where the likes of Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Daniel Sturridge have become known quantities for opposing defences, Firmino remains a wildcard.

His second half header was the latest example as he ghosted in past the Swansea back line to pull Liverpool back into this encounter.

Firmino was also influential in winning the penalty from which James Milner snatched victory and that intelligence will prove an invaluable asset to Klopp.

Great things were expected of the 25-year-old following his arrival from Hoffenheim last summer and his capture, like that of Coutinho, is proving a real coup.

Slow starts will eventually cost

 

Ground staff at the Liberty Stadium are likely to be busier than usual over the next week or so if Klopp’s post-match response is a reliable barometer.

The paint on the walls of the away dressing room will have undoubtedly been stripped away by the German’s half-time tirade at his players’ slow start.

And though that verbal blast will have spurred Liverpool on after the interval, the fact that it was required remains a source of concern.

More accomplished sides than Swansea will punish that laboured build-up – not least their opponents immediately after the international break.

Liverpool cannot afford to be caught on the hop against United or any of their other rivals to a place in the Premier League’s higher reaches.