Europa League: Liverpool held by Rubin though Can still progress

Coutinho had a collection of chances as Liverpool created more openings, though the Brazilian could only drag wide each time. Pressure beginning to mount, it clearly showed with Kuzmin receiving a second yellow card for a rash tackle on Emre Can and Liverpool’s luck began to change.

If anyone can Can can

Almost immediately, the Reds found a breakthrough. From the resulting free-kick which Coutinho swept in, Can capitalised on a knock down to guide in an equaliser.

The one person in the Anfield camp who may have felt a sense of ‘schadenfreude’ for Brendan Rodgers’ dismissal, it appropriately would be the German, pulled from pillar to post by the Northern Irishman, before compatriot Klopp installs him in his favourite position.

Fittingly, Can was one of the brightest Reds players, offering drive and a sense of fashionable charisma from his box-to-box midfield role, no doubt, already passed on by his new boss.

Strikers needed as second half showed

The second half performance from Liverpool was almost an invite to the world’s best strikers. With Coutinho and Lallana pulling the strings, there will be chances aplenty and paranoid cynics would accuse Klopp of somewhat Machiavellian tactics for bringing on Christian Benteke who missed a number of clear cut chances.

While the question remains as to how many chances he will get from Klopp before the chequebook reopens, the German can at least be thankful that he can call on Daniel Sturridge, expected to be back for the match against Southampton.

Perhaps the chance of the half fell to Benteke at the climax of a swift counter initiated by Lallana, though he could only find the post.

Halloween may be just over a week away, though the end product on show from the home side tonight was just as scary.

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