UCL 2018/2019: 5 reasons why Liverpool lost to Red Star Belgrade 

#2 Their defense failed to cover itself in glory

Van Dijk

Liverpool once had a penchant for conceding cheap goals and making defensive errors which cost the club dearly, as points were dropped and titles were lost.

That has largely been fixed since the arrival of Van Dijk and Alison Becker, and the pair have helped forge Liverpool into a defensively compact side, with an enviable home record, and currently have the second-best defense in the Premier League behind Manchester City.

Against Zvezda, there were shades of Liverpool of old, as old problems came to the fore with the defenders struggling to keep their opposition attackers at bay.

Milan Pavkov was the hero on the night for the Serbians, as it was his brace which consigned Liverpool to a third consecutive Champions League away defeat for the first time in their history, but The Reds would not be pleased with the way either goal came about.

Pavkov put the home side ahead in the 22nd minute, as he rose highest to connect with a corner by Chelsea flop Marco Marin, but the ever-reliable Van Dijk could have done much better to track his run and prevent him from having a free header.

Seven minutes later, Pavkov made it 2-0 after dispossessing Wjnaldum rather cheaply, before having a speculative shot from 25 yards out which Alison should have saved, to create an unwanted record of Liverpool conceding more than once in the first half of a UCL match for the first time since they conceded three in the opening 45 minutes of the 4-0 trouncing by Real Madrid in October 2014.

On a day which Liverpool's attack failed to live up to expectation, it was their defense which has been the recipients of much praise which let them down more.