Liverpool’s wait for a Champions League win continues after a 1-1 draw with Spartak Moscow.

A Fernando free kick left the Reds a goal down in a first half they had dominated as it flew past Loris Karius in the visitors’ goal at the Otkrytiye Arena.

Phillipe Coutinho and Sadio Mane combined before the Brazilian was able to level the score to leave Jurgen Klopp’s side on even terms before the break.

But Liverpool failed to convert numerous chances in the second half on what proved to be a frustrating evening in the Russian capital.

Here were the key talking points from Moscow:

Reds only have themselves to blame

 

When Liverpool sit down to review this, they will begrudgingly accept that they have only themselves to blame for failing to leave with maximum points.

They were dominant from start to finish, creating numerous chances to put the game to bed but failing to take them in their usual ruthless manner.

Roberto Firmino was particularly profligate, missing two glorious chances in the first half and then failing to set up Mohammed Salah late on when clean through.

Just as in the draws with Watford, Burnley and even Sevilla this season, Jurgen Klopp’s side can only look inwardly for the failure to kill off another game.

New ‘Fab Four’ is finally rocking

 

The Beatles may be the original Fab Four but Liverpool are tuned in to a different quartet.

It has taken on various forms but as forward lines go, the one of Firmino, Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah is up there with the best.

There are few defences that will relish taking them on this season.

This was the first time they’ve all played together since beating Bayern Munich during pre-season and it will have left Reds fans excited about what is to come.

It may not have been quite at full-speed but there is no doubting that this is a group of players capable of driving Liverpool back to the top of the charts.

Strength in depth starting to show

 

Klopp may not have landed all the players he wanted during the summer transfer window but to say his squad is short on quality would be erroneous.

The Liverpool squad is arguably the strongest it has been for a number of years and the options available on the bench for this game finally proved it.

Among his seven substitutes were Simon Mignolet, James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge.

That group boasted a combined total of 143 European appearances to their names before this game, as well as countless years’ Premier League experience.

They may be short in defence but the Reds are full to the brim elsewhere that has left Klopp with a selection headache, not that he’ll be complaining.

Still a worrying lack of discipline

 

Doubts about goalkeepers and the defence aside, there is one major problem in this Liverpool side; a lack of discipline.

The build-up to Fernando’s opener for Spartak was a case in point.

Four clear opportunities to win the ball back emerged and the visitors failed in all of them, leading to Coutinho’s poor challenge to give away the fatal free kick.

It was a mistake that saw them sorely punished and future opponents are likely to hand out a similar treatment, if not potentially more ruthless.

There is no doubt Klopp has to work on the defence but ridding his team of the dangerous lack of discipline that runs through it is a far greater priority.