Slow start gives Liverpool and Klopp cause for concern

Three months ago Liverpool stood on the brink of an unprecedented quadruple of trophies. Three games into the new season, they are yet to win a game.

A 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Monday saw Jurgen Klopp's men leapfrogged in the fledgling English Premier League table by a Manchester United side that had spent the past week being ridiculed for losing 4-0 at Brentford.

Liverpool's worst start for a decade leaves the Reds already trailing defending champions Manchester City by five points and early leaders Arsenal by seven.

"It's not the nicest thing to look at, that's clear," said Klopp on his side slipping to 16th after three games.

Of even more concern for the German is that there does not appear a quick fix for the issues that have caused such a slow start.

An early season injury crisis meant Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Diogo Jota were among those unavailable for the trip to Old Trafford.

Darwin Nunez was also missing after Liverpool's new 75 million euro (£64 million, $77 million) striker served the first of his three-game ban for the red card he received for headbutting Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen last week.

Nunez's arrival from Benfica accounts for most of Liverpool's spend in the transfer window and the decision not to refresh Klopp's midfield options is a growing source of frustration among the Reds' support.

Without Thiago and Keita, the 36-year-old James Milner and Harvey Elliott, 19, lined up either side of captain Jordan Henderson in midfield on Monday.

Klopp admitted before the game that it would be "cool" to have another midfield option.

That is not the only area of concern for Klopp.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive positioning is being increasingly targeted by the