Mbappe equalled his negative ball losses record with Real Madrid at Anfield

"This has already happened with more strikers who find it difficult to score and are a bit disappointed not to do so. The medicine is to be patient, it's a difficult moment for him". These are the words of Carlo Ancelotti, who is sticking to his usual calm and dialogue-based approach to Kylian Mbappe's situation. At Anfield, the striker was one of the main protagonists of Real Madrid's defeat to Liverpool, who were clearly superior.

Perhaps the Frenchman is one of those who responds better to encouragement and compliments than to criticism and whistles, but it is also understandable that Madrid fans have little patience for him. After almost seven years of back and forth, summer transfer sagas and a renewal that forever changed the relationship with Mbappe, he is now required to show the same football he showed in France. Or at the very least, one that comes close to it.

Of course, his game in England wasn't even close. Without Vinicius in the squad through injury, Kylian Mbappe was able to play against Liverpool in what was his natural position: on the left wing, with the freedom to come in from the flank without anyone stepping on him in that space. Moreover, in a game that for Real Madrid could be back and forth and with wide spaces for him to run through. And with a context that could be favourable, the ‘Merengues’ came up against one of the worst versions of the striker this season.

In terms of sensations, the player looked sad, listless and at times not in tune with the game. He missed controls and passes that in normal circumstances he would never have missed. The images of Mbappe at half-time, when the game was still 0-0, showed us a player somewhat distant from his team-mates and very pensive. The final blow was to see him miss a penalty in the 61st minute that would have allowed a momentary equaliser after Mac Allister's 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute.

After that mistake, he wandered around the pitch visibly depressed, and was one of the first to go to the dressing room after the final whistle, while several of his teammates stayed to thank the travelling Madridistas for the trip. And this is in terms of sensations. Even more objective are the figures. Most strikingly, Kylian Mbappé equalled his negative record of ball losses this season.

Specifically, the Real Madrid striker lost possession to his opponents 14 times, five of them in his own half. That was tied with the 14 in the match against Espanyol, in which Real Madrid managed to win 4-1 and he scored from the penalty spot, although he had previously failed to convert five of his six shots on goal. This season, he was averaging 8.67 losses per 90 minutes played.