Liverpool has been arguably the Premier League’s most effective crossing team across the last eight seasons. At the very least, it’s true to say that the Reds’ total of 114 assists from crosses is the most accrued by any side in that period.

While Liverpool’s conversion rate of 13.3 per cent from such chances is above the average of 11.0, Arsenal (15.2) and Manchester City (14.8) have proven more efficient since the summer of 2016. Nonetheless, crossing has been a huge part of the Reds’ attacking process under Jürgen Klopp.

The biggest contributors to the success from a creativity standpoint have been Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, with 34 and 26 crossed assists respectively. However, the latter was very heavily involved on this front in the disappointing 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday, with 13 attempts, and the Reds’ crossing statistics highlighted a significant problem.

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Around of quarter of all crosses are successful in terms of reaching a teammate. By this mark, Liverpool did very well against the Eagles, with 19 of 42 attempts (45.2 per cent) finding a fellow player in Red. In terms of effectiveness, though, the numbers inevitably dwindle once you rate them; 10 of the successful crosses created shots, but none of the chances was classified as ‘big’ by Opta (meaning you’d expect the player to score) and obviously none led to a goal.

As much as crossing has proved fruitful for the Reds and correlation is not the same as causation, it has actually appeared to be a negative when they have attempted so many deliveries from wide areas. Per FBRef, there have been 11 league matches in the last decade in which Liverpool played at least 40 crosses. Its record in these games is one win, five draws and five defeats, with the sole victory needing a 98th-minute goal from Fábio Carvalho to see off Newcastle at Anfield last season.

There are similar examples for other big clubs too. Crystal Palace faced 58 crosses from Manchester City in 2020 yet emerged with a 2-2 draw, while Manchester United has attempted at least 50 in games with Burnley and Norwich in the last decade, failing to win either fixture.

We can look back further to when crossing was arguably Liverpool’s primary attacking strategy for further evidence. Damien Comolli was the first director of football appointed by Fenway Sports Group, and he spent his only summer with the club buying Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson, players who had created a lot of chances via crosses. When Comolli was dismissed towards the end of 2011/12, the Reds had won none of the eight matches in which they had attempted at least 36 crosses, with the high watermark being 54 against Blackburn in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

And if we look at 2023/24, we find Liverpool firing in 37 crosses at Luton in November, then 35 against United the following month, two matches which both yielded a single point. In fairness, the strategy proved somewhat fruitful; Harvey Elliott crossed for Luis Díaz to equalize at Kenilworth Road, before a cross created Liverpool’s only big chance against the Red Devils. Similarly, the Reds attempted 38 crosses against Sheffield United recently, saw Robertson set up Cody Gakpo in this fashion to score, and won the game 3-1.

But that assist was the best type of cross, with attackers running into a penalty box devoid of defenders. When a team is attempting a significant number of deliveries from wide areas, it tends to be because it has run out of ideas and failed to break through the opposing backline in the middle of the pitch. Crossing into a packed penalty area is rarely a fruitful strategy and Liverpool saw this against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Liverpool.com says: A team needs to have a variety to its attack but if even Liverpool struggles to win matches when attempting a lot of crosses then it illustrates the flaws in the strategy. Opposing defenses find them easier to deal with than other types of passes into the penalty box, and that's true even when Alexander-Arnold and Robertson are making the deliveries. Klopp will certainly need to tweak the plan before his side goes to Goodison Park, as he will know what to expect from Everton.

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Naby Keïta's return to Germany has been far from a joyous homecoming since his departure from Liverpool at the close of the 2022-23 season.

The Guinean midfielder, who once held the title of Liverpool's most expensive signing after sealing a move from RB Leipzig in 2017, bid farewell to Anfield to join Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen following the end of his contract with the Reds. Injuries marred the first half of his Bundesliga comeback season, and the second half has proven equally disheartening for Keïta, hitting a new nadir on Sunday when he was conspicuously absent from Bremen's Bundesliga clash with Bayer Leverkusen at the Bay Arena.

Clemens Fritz, the club's managing director, claimed that Keïta chose not to accompany the rest of the Bremen team after discovering he wouldn't be in the starting line-up. Fritz maintained that the 29-year-old would have to face the "consequences" of his decision and decide "how to proceed".

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However, Keïta contested Fritz's allegations, stating he would not "accept any person trying to tarnish my image" and asserted he had never encountered any disciplinary issues throughout his professional career. Keïta's underwhelming return to the Bundesliga, with only five appearances since signing a three-year deal last July, is disappointing regardless of the reasons behind his omission.

Moreover, Keïta isn't the only former Liverpool player having a tough 2023/24 season post-Anfield. Premier League and Champions League winners Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have all had difficult spells in the Saudi Pro League after joining Al Ahli, Al Ittihad and Al Ettifaq respectively.

Ex-Reds skipper Henderson's challenging stint in the Middle East lasted less than six months before he moved to Ajax in January, later confessing that his decision to join Steven Gerrard's Pro League team was a mistake. Meanwhile, Brazilian pair Firmino and Fabinho continue their careers in the Middle East but, like many who took advantage of the Saudi wealth last summer, they are dealing with the reality of smaller crowds every week in the league.

To add insult to injury, Firmino's Al Ahil are currently trailing champions-elect Al Hilal by 25 points, with Fabinho's defending champions Ittihad lagging a further five points behind.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, on the other hand, is having a fruitful first season with Turkish Süper Lig outfit Beşiktaş after transferring to Turkey last summer. The England international, who was at Anfield for nearly six years following his move from Arsenal in 2017, has made 15 league appearances for the Black Eagles this term, netting four goals and providing one assist as Beşiktaş aims for a Champions League spot in the season's final weeks.

Perhaps the most successful of all the summer exits from Anfield has been seasoned midfielder James Milner, who is proving to be a vital component for Brighton and Hove Albion both on and off the pitch. The ex-England international has featured 15 times for Roberto De Zerbi's team this season across all competitions, including five in the Europa League as the Seagulls advanced to the round-of-16 stage for the first time in their history.

Milner's contract on the south coast runs out in June, but he is just 19 matches away from matching Gareth Barry's record for the most appearances in the Premier League.

Liverpool.com says: Sadly, there are probably a lot of Liverpool fans who could have predicted Keïta's struggles. He had his bright moments, but ultimately never delivered on his prospects, and he'll be remembered mostly for his countless injuries.

The others struggling is a bit more of the surprise, although maybe not too big a surprise. Players struggling after leaving Jürgen Klopp's side is something of a recurring theme, perhaps underlining what a fantastic job the German has done at Anfield.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.

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Jamie Carragher has warned Liverpool it has to take more of its chances if it’s to have any chance of winning this season’s Premier League title.

A nightmare week culminated in defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday. The result means the Reds’ title hopes are now out of their hands, with Manchester City sitting top of the table after a 5-1 win over Luton.

Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa meant Liverpool would have been a point clear of the chasing pack had it beaten Palace. With six games to go though, it now has to rely on both City and the Gunners to slip up.

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The Reds were once again wasteful in front of goal at Anfield, drawing a blank for the second game in a row after the shock 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League. It was a similar story in the 2-2 draw at Manchester United the previous week, and former defender Carragher is in no doubt about the damage it has done.

“It has to change,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. “I think Liverpool’s xG (expected goals) in this run is around nine and they have scored two which is not great.

“For it to finish like that and go like that right now at the most pivotal of times is a huge problem for them. There is still time to fix that and get it back, but the nature of the players, it will always be a little bit like that in terms of the numbers we are looking at and the type of players that they are. But, that has to change very quickly if Liverpool are to get back in the title race.”

Carragher added: “When I was commentating yesterday, it felt like we were watching a team who had just run out of gas. They have had to do so much.

“We have seen City in the last few weeks winning with ease and they can take their foot off the pedal after an hour. Liverpool, it feels like they always have to go until the end of games. We sort of championed the fact they had scored so many late goals, but it takes a lot out of you physically, mentally every single game.”

Liverpool.com says: It does feel odd saying this about Liverpool given its record over the years, but it really does need to improve in front of goal. The Reds have been far too wasteful in front of goal, and the last two results against Palace and United could be what ultimately denies them the title when it had been in their hands.

The race isn’t over, but relying on City and Arsenal dropping points again is not a position you’d want to be in. Regardless of their rivals, Liverpool needs to improve, and quickly, to have any chance of lifting another title before Jürgen Klopp leaves.

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