Karius: “I Don’t Know Why We Didn’t Win It”

At times against Sevilla on Wednesday evening, it felt like Liverpool’s goals scored column should have been flirting with double figures. Instead, it stayed steady at two. Dominant in the run of play and countless shots and chances but just the two goals to show for it.

Meanwhile, Sevilla barely had a sight of goal but put away their only two quality chances of the game—both with the help of some uninspiring defending from Liverpool—to earn a valuable point at Anfield and deprive their hosts of two. Loris Karius still isn’t quite sure how it happened.

“It’s hard to say how we didn’t win,” shrugged the Liverpool goalkeeper, sounding as puzzled and frustrated as so many of the fans following the 2-2 draw. “We had a lot of chances, and even after the shock in the first few minutes with their goal we were in the game well.

“We had a penalty as well. It’s just one of those days I don’t know why we didn’t win it. It’s hard to explain. We were by far the better team, so it’s really disappointing. That’s how football is sometimes. We were really good in the game but they were ice cold in front of goal.”

The difficult part for Liverpool fans comes from the fact that at times with this Liverpool side, both last season and now in the early going of 2016-17, is that seeing opponents capitalise on their best chances—often after being handed them by Liverpool’s defence—feels normal.

Liverpool had the run of play and countless chances and nobody would have been surprised to see them win the game by a scoreline of 5-1 or similar. But equally nobody was surprised by them failing to take their chances and gifting Sevilla a 2-2 draw on the evening.

With Liverpool, it can often feel like either outcome is equally likely—frustratingly likely. The reality, though, is that usually this Liverpool side fall more to the good than bad, despite that it’s the stumbles and errors that are often easier to remember.

But there is work to do. Liverpool played a key role in their undoing against Sevilla. The defence went to sleep on Manchester City’s opener that started them down a path to ruin on the weekend. And their opening day draw against Watford was again of their own making.

It’s hard to say how Liverpool didn’t win against Sevilla on Wednesday evening, but it’s also hardly a surprise to anyone watching on that they drew a game that at times felt like it should have ended with a lopsided score in their favour.