Brendan Rodgers had given several valid reasons for Premier League mediocrity in Europe but only one was necessary for Liverpool’s tame draw against FC Sion: a lack of quality. The Liverpool manager selected an under-strength side with Sunday’s Merseyside derby in mind and Anfield was left predictably under-whelmed.  Didier Tholot’s team had been fiercely condemned by their own chairman at the weekend but their commitment was enough to limit Liverpool to only an Adam Lallana goal at Anfield. Ebenezer Assifuah’s equaliser represented a rare shot on Simon Mignolet’s goal from FC Sion but, not for the first time, chances and creativity failed to translate into more than one goal for Rodgers’ side.  As against Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool took an early lead before making life unnecessarily complicated for themselves. This time it was Adam Lallana who delivered the ideal start for a team that could have been three ahead before the visitors equalised from their first attack of the game. Cheap goals continue to plague whatever side Rodgers selects.  The Liverpool manager had shown where Europa League group games rank on his list of priorities with his team selection in Bordeaux. It was a similar mix of young and fringe players here, against a side described as pathetic and awful by their chairman, Christian Constantin, on Sunday. “The players should be ashamed of being paid,” added Constantin, who cut a brooding figure in the Anfield directors’ box.  Liverpool started with only four players likely to retain their places for Sunday’s game at Everton – Mignolet, Emre Can, Nathaniel Clyne and Danny Ings. The rest had an opportunity to press their claims for the first Merseyside derby of the season and Lallana was quick to promote his cause. Joe Gomez, with a composed, intelligent display on the left of a three-man defence, followed suit.  Lallana scored Liverpool’s first Europa League goal of the season in Bordeaux and had already troubled the Sion defence before scoring. The £25m midfielder appeared offside when he turned a header from the impressive Jordan Rossiter into the path of Divock Origi but play continued. Origi, another needing to capitalise on a rare start, did well to hold off the formidable figure of Leo Lacroix and even better to roll an inviting ball back from the byline for the unmarked Lallana. The England international swept home from close range.  Origi broke down the right once more from a Rossiter pass and, though Lacroix deflected the Belgium forward’s low shot, the ball fell for Jordon Ibe to force Andris Vanins into a near-post save. Ings also had a good chance from Joe Allen’s measured pass into the area but the Sion left back, Pa Modou Jagne, intervened with a superb challenge. Sion had rarely ventured out of their own half but took full advantage of a Clyne error to stun Anfield with an equaliser. The right-back, or right wing-back at present, played a careless pass across his own half straight to Verolijub Salatic in central midfield. He sent a first-time ball over the top of an exposed Liverpool defence and Assifuah controlled expertly on his chest, held off the covering Ibe and prodded a simple finish under Mignolet.  Clyne almost made amends by crossing for Ings to convert but the striker called up for England duty for the first time on Thursday was a yard offside. Origi should have restored Liverpool’s lead from another astute pass into the box from Allen but took too long in possession.  Kolo Touré went close to a stunning first goal for Liverpool with an overhead kick that landed on Vanins’ crossbar while the lively Origi again troubled Lacroix when sent clear down the left by Allen. The defender managed to block the Belgian’s shot but the Sion backline struggled against the striker’s pace. Allen created another clear opening when he put Origi through with an excellent pass but the former Lille forward, seemingly better with instinct than time to think, placed an unconvincing shot straight at the keeper. Former Tottenham and Wigan defender Reto Ziegler almost diverted the rebound into his own net but Vanins gathered at the second attempt.
Adam Lallana scored after four minutes but Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League by Swiss side Sion