Liverpool failed to make pressure count at Anfield on Sunday as they fell to another home defeat, this time at the hands of champions Arsenal.

Having already lost on home turf against Manchester City, Sunday was a chance for the Reds to propel themselves into the title race and put real pressure on Mikel Arteta’s team. Instead, though they huffed and puffed, they lost to a sloppy Kai Havertz goal.

Rice admits Anfield made life difficult

There was a period after Havertz’s goal until the half-time break when Liverpool absolutely pummelled Arsenal. They really, really should have scored.

Alas, they did not, but had they just been a little more clinical, the Reds could have been not only back on terms, but out of sight.

Rice and his teammates looked shellshocked, and the 27-year-old admitted as much after three points had been secured.

“That’s the Anfield way, that’s what Liverpool can do,” he said. “This is what this stadium does to you, you know. It just creates waves after an attack, and you have to sustain it [the defending].

“Especially with the attack that they’ve got, the quality that they have. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

“We got off to a very good start, could have probably managed the game better. But like I said, it was relentless attacks. We could have probably done a little bit more as well in front of goal.”

The half-time break came at exactly the wrong time for Liverpool, and they could not regain the momentum in the second-half. While that was disappointing, Sunday was at least another example of how the Anfield crowd can really affect the game in Liverpool’s favour.