Liverpool followed up their historic 7-0 win over Manchester United with a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth — classic Liverpool — while Borussia Dortmund‘s title hopes took a hit and Kai Havertz came up big for a Chelsea side in need of heroes.
ESPN correspondents Mark Ogden, Rob Dawson, Julien Laurens, Sam Marsden, Mike Wise and James Tyler break down the most interesting and important stuff you need to know about the weekend.
Talking points
Liverpool’s failings emerge again
Liverpool’s inconsistency is threatening to deny Jurgen Klopp’s team a top-four finish in the Premier League. Or, to be more precise, their consistency in dropping points against struggling opponents is the reason they are now six points adrift of fourth spot.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth — just six days after their 7-0 rout of Manchester United — was the second time this season that Liverpool have lost to a team that started the day at the bottom of the table. You could even argue that it was the third instance, with United starting Matchday 3 as the bottom team, before moving up a spot on goal difference because of other results before kick-off, when beating Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford in August.
– Liverpool ratings: Salah 3/10 after missed penalty
Still, even if that early defeat against United is discounted, Liverpool have now dropped 15 points in games against teams threatened with relegation this season. They have failed to beat Crystal Palace in two fixtures, lost at home to Leeds United and were beaten at Nottingham Forest, Wolves and now Bournemouth — a team they hammered 9-0 at Anfield earlier this season.
Had Liverpool taken just half of the 15 points they have dropped against the strugglers, they would now be in the top four, with a game in hand over fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Their results against teams fighting a relegation battle will be a concern to Klopp because his side remains one of the best in the country, as showcased in the win against United. But with games against Leeds, Forest and West Ham United due next month after the international break, followed by trips to Leicester City and Southampton in May, Liverpool clearly need to find a way to beat the teams they would usually blow away.
If they don’t, Liverpool can forget about playing in the Champions League next season. — Ogden
BVB’s biggest rivals have the last laugh in a damaging draw
The Revierderby between Schalke 04 and Dortmund is one of the best and feistiest in world soccer, with form ahead of their tempestuous clashes never being a factor in the final result. It’s a rivalry in which anything can happen and with their respective seasons facing very different conclusions — Dortmund are chasing a first league title since 2011-12, while Schalke fight tooth and nail against relegation — Saturday’s 2-2 draw delivered plenty to talk about.
Twice, Dortmund took the lead at their rivals’ VELTINS-Arena and twice the hosts pegged them back, taking advantage of individual mistakes and throwing real doubt upon BVB’s title aspirations. Defender Nico Schlotterbeck, of all people, put Dortmund in front, stepping up and curling a stylish shot beyond Ralf Fahrmann from 20ish yards, his third goal in 2023 alone. But Schalke’s confidence was never shaken and they leveled five minutes into the second half, with Jude Bellingham losing possession in midfield and the hosts’ quick counter ending with Marius Bulter tapping Michael Frey‘s low cross in at the far post.
– Watch replay: Schalke 2-2 Dortmund (ESPN+, US only)
With Bayern Munich beating Augsburg 5-3 earlier in the day, Edin Terzic’s side knew they needed another goal and with half an hour left, they found it as Emre Can played Raphael Guerreiro in on the left side of the box, the Portuguese wing-back dutifully thundering a left-footed shot into the top corner. However, as has so often been the case this season, Dortmund’s defence blinked and Schalke profited, with Kenan Karaman‘s set-piece header sneaking under Alexander Meyer‘s gloves with 11 minutes remaining.
Dortmund deserved to drop points as much as Schalke deserved to take a draw; after winning just twice before the World Cup, the Royal Blues extended their unbeaten run to seven games with Saturday’s point. After losing 6-1 to RB Leipzig on Jan. 24, Schalke have rattled off four straight 0-0 draws followed by two wins, with just three goals conceded over that run.
Will it be enough to keep them in the Bundesliga? Will it be enough to doom Dortmund’s title hopes, as they now trail Bayern by two points with 10 games left, including a head-to-head on April 1? Only time will tell on both fronts. — Tyler