There were no smiles or fist-pumping celebrations. The reaction in the away end was muted and the manager, after a few handshakes, disappeared down the tunnel.
Happiness was not the overriding emotion for Brendan Rodgers and this draw will not make any list of the club’s best European results but at least it afforded the manager some respite.
It could have been more. Adam Lallana’s brilliant goal should have been enough but Liverpool were unable to hold out and Bordeaux substitute Ferreira Jussie equalised after 81 minutes.
Yet, after depressing defeats by West Ham and Manchester United, it was not another backward step for Rodgers. A point leaves Liverpool in charge of their destiny in Group B.
‘I was disappointed with conceding a goal so late but if you can’t win, then it’s important to get a point,’ Rodgers said. ‘I was satisfied with the performance, particularly with so many of the young ones.’
With such names as Christian Benteke, Daniel Sturridge and Martin Skrtel back on Merseyside along with injured captain Jordan Henderson, it was easy to conclude that Rodgers was down to the bares bones.
When you looked at the team sheet, though, his starting line-up cost almost £100million and the substitutes’ bench had a £29m Brazil international on it.
Aside from team changes, the system was also rejigged with Liverpool reverting to the formation used in the second half of last season. They were better for it, with captain for the night Mamadou Sakho ‘immense’ according to Rodgers.
Even when Kolo Toure went off injured after colliding with Simon Mignolet, Liverpool were comfortable, untried Pedro Chirivella — an 18-year-old Spanish midfielder — slotting in smoothly alongside Jordan Rossiter.
It must be said, though, that Bordeaux were limited and in the first 45 minutes Liverpool came closest to opening the scoring when Philippe Coutinho struck a post.
They took the lead 20 minutes after the break when Lallana nutmegged Brazilian defender Pablo before rifling past Cedric Carrasso.
That should have been enough but Liverpool began to drop deep and Jussie pounced on a loose ball to equalise.
‘I said to the players that in European football a point is never bad,’ Rodgers added. ‘We won the group last time (in 2012) with 10 points, so this was encouraging.’
BORDEAUX (4-4-2): Carrasso 6; Gajic 6 (Guilbert 86min), Pablo 5, Pallios 6, Poundje 6; Saviet 7, Chantome 6, Khazri 7 (Jussie 69, 7), Maurice-Belay 7; Crivelli 6, Rolan 6. Subs not used: Prior, Traore, Kiesse Thelin, Poko, Yambere.
Booked: Chantome.
Scorer: Jussie (80)
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mignolet 6; Gomez 7, Toure 5 (Chirivella 27, 6), Sakho 7.5, Moreno 7; Rossiter 7 (Branagan 76), Can 6; Ibe 6, Coutinho 7, Lallana 7; Origi 5 (Ings 73). Subs not used: Bogdan, Firmino, Randall, Cleary.
Booked: Toure.
Scorer: Lallana (65).
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spa).
Man of the match: Sakho. – Daily Mail