It was supposed to be a dream farewell for long-serving Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp before fate turned against the German.
Heading into March’s international break, the Reds were in contention for a historic quadruple after beating Chelsea to the League Cup title in February.
Manchester United’s nail-biting 4-3 extra-time win in the FA Cup quarter-final on the stroke of the international window reduced Klopp’s ambitions to a treble.
But it looks like a consolation cup triumph will be the 56-year-old’s only parting gift to the Anfield faithful after their season fell apart in a heartbeat.
Widely considered the leading candidates to wrap up the Europa League title, the only missing piece of silverware from Klopp’s storied career at Liverpool, the Reds slumped in the quarter-finals.
Atalanta’s stunning 3-0 win on Merseyside rendered the English heavyweights’ 1-0 second-leg triumph in Italy futile, crashing them out of Europe’s second-tier competition.
Klopp’s agony doesn’t end there as Premier League underachievers Crystal Palace sealed a sensational win at Anfield last weekend to knock Liverpool down from the throne.
With six games left and perennial champions Manchester City two points clear at the table’s summit, only a miracle can help the 19-time English champions equal Man Utd’s title record.
Notoriously inconsistent on their travels, Klopp’s troops brace themselves up for three consecutive league games on the road, starting with Sunday’s trip to Craven Cottage to meet Fulham.
In other circumstances, it would be another day at the office for Liverpool, but they’ve recently been wasteful in front of goal, scoring just once in their last three competitive matches.
A free-flowing attack has been Liverpool’s hallmark under Klopp, and the fact his most trusted department let him down in these high-pressure moments is unfathomable.
Defensive frailties have been synonymous with the Reds, yet Mohamed Salah and his offensive teammates have often been there to bail their defenders out.
It’s no longer the case, or at least it wasn’t when Klopp needed them most.
Football can be cruel sometimes. Such has been with Klopp and his precious forwards.
Although there’s still time for Liverpool to leapfrog Man City and Arsenal, the title race is now out of their hands.
