WOMEN’S tennis number one Caroline Wozniacki caused a stir last week when she warmed up for a match while wearing a Liverpool shirt.

But had the Dane known what the Anfield outfit were about to serve up for their supporters a few days later, she may well have resisted such a public display of affection.

Kenny Dalglish was given a stark reminder of the size of the job that has – at least temporarily – been entrusted to him as his team’s eight-match unbeaten run came to a grinding halt with dismal defeat at rock-bottom West Ham United yesterday.

A double fault in the Liverpool defence allowed Scott Parker and then Demba Ba to net before the break, with Glen Johnson’s 84th-minute goal confirmed as mere consolation by substitute Carlton Cole’s injury-time strike.

Had this result happened during Roy Hodgson’s tenure, the wails of anguish from the disillusioned travelling support would probably have been heard all the way back on Merseyside.

Dalglish has accrued enough goodwill already during his brief second coming to be spared the vitriol Hodgson attracted during the closing weeks of his reign.

But, on the eve of the Oscars, even the King’s speech at half-time couldn’t quite rouse his troops into a second-half comeback, despite an improved showing after the interval.

Indeed, Dalglish must take his share of the responsibility after some tactical tinkering that contributed to Liverpool’s woeful and ultimately decisive showing before the break.

The Scot, though, was let down by a collection of underwhelming performances from his players, only Johnson, and belatedly Luis Suarez, showing any great intent.

The honeymoon period is over for Dalglish. The signs were there in recent weeks, with the disappointing home draw against relegation-haunted Wigan Athletic followed by the struggle to overcome Sparta Prague in the Europa League.