It seems that Liverpool will have to be content with the Premier League trophy from now until the end of the season.

The Reds lifting that title is now inevitable. They are currently 25 points clear at the top of the table, meaning they need just six points – two wins – to confirm their status as champions.

The same cannot be said of their FA Cup and Champions League aspirations though – they have been knocked out of both, by Chelsea and Atletico Madrid respectively.

Back-up goalkeeper Adrian has had a negative impact for the Reds in both matches. First, he palmed Willian’s shot into the back of the net against the Blues last week when it was straight at him, a game in which he was given the chance to shine by Jurgen Klopp.

Then, after being named in the starting XI by necessity because of Alisson’s injury, he gifted the ball to Joao Felix against Los Rojiblancos, allowing him to play in Marcos Llorente who then put the ball in the back of the net.

In the space of seven days, Adrian has derailed the Reds’ treble hopes. Having joined at the start of the season, his arrival already looks like a mistake, even if there have been some more positive moments.

Unfortunately for the Reds’ hierarchy, this is just the latest goalkeeper who has failed to live up to the required standards. Ever since Pepe Reina departed for Bayern Munich in 2013, they have struggled to replace him. The two names that particularly stand out are Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius.

The former made several high-profile mistakes during his time at Anfield – only five players in the Premier League have made more errors that have led to goals than his 18 – whilst the latter has never recovered, it seems, from making two terrible blunders in the 2018 Champions League final. Others such as Brad Jones, Charles Itandje, Diego Cavalieri, Daniele Padelli and Alexander Doni all failed to make any kind of impact.

In fact, only Alisson is an exception to that apparent trend. The Brazil international was signed from AS Roma for a world-record fee for a ‘keeper in 2018, but he has proven to be a revelation. Last year, he even won the Yachine Award, given to the best goalkeeper on the planet.

Now valued at a huge £81m by Transfermarkt, Klopp will have wished he could have been between the sticks against Atletico instead of Adrian. Still, at least one new arrival in that position over the last 10 years has proven his worth.

Meanwhile, this famed youth academy could provide Liverpool with their eventual Sadio Mane replacement.