Liverpool star blames the pitch after drab 0-0 draw against Chelsea at Anfield

Liverpool star James Milner has appeared to blame the Anfield pitch for the Reds' goalless draw against Chelsea.

The two struggling sides locked horns against each other at Anfield on Saturday, but the game finished in a 0-0 stalemate.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea desperately needed a win to keep their top-four hopes alive, but the game was pretty much a drab affair.

The ever-reliable James Milner started for Jurgen Klopp's side at right-back and was replaced by Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 72nd minute. Following the game, Milner revealed his happiness with a clean sheet but was visibly frustrated with the number of chances created by the Reds.

He told BT Sport:

"We always want to win our home games, we know the situation we are in at the moment, things are not easy. We’ve got to stick together, keep working hard. We kept a clean sheet which was pleasing. We need to get that base. We had chances to win the game."

The former Aston Villa talisman continued:

"It was tough. It was two teams that aren’t playing their best at the moment. That’s why you have to win that battle, the pitch didn’t make it as easy to play as we would like."

He further stated:

"At times we could have made it easier for ourselves by taking an extra touch but also moving for each other. We had really good spells in the game as well. There’s things to work on but a clean sheet is a step in the right direction."

Milner has also made it abundantly clear that the Reds are still a long way from where they want to be. He has urged his teammates to keep fighting for every point and turn the season around.

The versatile midfielder added:

‘When you’re in a tough period and a tough moment in the team, I think it’s important that you stick together and fight for those clean sheets and that’s where it starts."

He went on to say:

"It’s not the best football matches that we are playing but it’s small steps to get where we know we can be. We would have liked to win it, it’s pleasing that we had the chances. This is a small step in the right direction but we have got a long way to go to where we want to be."

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Liverpool and Chelsea stuck in mid-table in the Premier League

Liverpool and Chelsea have both endured campaigns to forget so far, and both have uphill tasks on their hands if they have to secure a top-four finish from here.

Liverpool are currently 8th in the table with 29 points in 19 games, while Chelsea find themselves 10th with the same number of points but having played one more game.

They both trail fourth-placed Newcastle United by nine points and will take on Crystal Palace later tonight. It will be interesting to see whether Liverpool and Chelsea can turn their seasons around from here, but things look far from promising for neither club.