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| Image Source | Image By – Getty |
In their 3-1 victory over Tottenham on Thursday, Jurgen
Klopp said Liverpool “showed who we are.”
Klopp said Liverpool “showed who we are.”
Liverpool climbed back to the top four, narrowing the
Manchester City leadership gap to four points, though City maintained a game in
hand.
Manchester City leadership gap to four points, though City maintained a game in
hand.
As Klopp’s side scored their first league goals of 2021,
Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane scored and recovered in
style from back-to-back defeats against Burnley and Manchester United –
although there were still more injury problems in defense.
Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane scored and recovered in
style from back-to-back defeats against Burnley and Manchester United –
although there were still more injury problems in defense.
“We scored goals in the
right moments, wonderful goals,” Klopp told BT Sport. “The
right people scored the goals. All good, apart from obviously Joel Matip had to
go off.
right moments, wonderful goals,” Klopp told BT Sport. “The
right people scored the goals. All good, apart from obviously Joel Matip had to
go off.
“What I saw today was not about form, it’s… who we are.
That’s us. Today, the second half especially, was us. It was a massive fight
and football on top of that.
That’s us. Today, the second half especially, was us. It was a massive fight
and football on top of that.
“I don’t know the numbers but I think apart from a few
minutes in the first half, I don’t remember them having a lot of the ball. It
was always pretty quick and counter-attacking and we defender really well. It
was just a good performance and I saw a lot of things I wanted to see.
minutes in the first half, I don’t remember them having a lot of the ball. It
was always pretty quick and counter-attacking and we defender really well. It
was just a good performance and I saw a lot of things I wanted to see.
“Offensively, the way
we played, I thought we coped really well with their formation. Played around,
played in between, so we were so often in and around the box which is really
important. The counter-press was really good. The last line defended really
well; high enough but not crazy high.”
we played, I thought we coped really well with their formation. Played around,
played in between, so we were so often in and around the box which is really
important. The counter-press was really good. The last line defended really
well; high enough but not crazy high.”
The game began in frantic fashion as Mane missed an early
chance before a similar opportunity was tucked away by Son Heung-min, only to
see VAR rule the goal out for offside.
With the last kick of the half from Mane’s assist, Firmino
opened the scoring. Almost immediately after the restart, Alexander-Arnold
doubled the lead with a strong finish, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg pulled a goal
back within two minutes with a spectacular half-volley.
The result offers a welcome boost ahead of a big run of
fixtures and after a double injury setback, as well as putting Liverpool four
points away from Spurs – while Jose Mourinho’s side still have a game in hand.
chance before a similar opportunity was tucked away by Son Heung-min, only to
see VAR rule the goal out for offside.
opened the scoring. Almost immediately after the restart, Alexander-Arnold
doubled the lead with a strong finish, but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg pulled a goal
back within two minutes with a spectacular half-volley.
fixtures and after a double injury setback, as well as putting Liverpool four
points away from Spurs – while Jose Mourinho’s side still have a game in hand.
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| Image Source | Image By – Getty or Goal |
Liverpool and Alexander-Arnold shrug off recent wobble to make title statement at Tottenham
Editors’ Picks
And here, in north London, it
started to purr once more.
What a win this was, both in terms of its importance and its
execution. The Reds’ first in six Premier League matches was a dominant one, a
deserved 3-1 triumph over Tottenham which fires Jurgen Klopp’s men back into
the top four and, maybe, back into the title race too.
execution. The Reds’ first in six Premier League matches was a dominant one, a
deserved 3-1 triumph over Tottenham which fires Jurgen Klopp’s men back into
the top four and, maybe, back into the title race too.
So much has faltered for the champions of late, but it all
worked fine here. Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane scored, Gini Wijnaldum and
Thiago Alcantara ran the show in midfield, where James Milner, 35 years old,
put in the performance of a young pup.
And then there was Trent Alexander-Arnold, the beacon of
Liverpool’s recovery. A goal and an assist for the Scouse full-back, who was
very much back to his best after a winter dip.
Liverpool’s recovery. A goal and an assist for the Scouse full-back, who was
very much back to his best after a winter dip.
Not
even another centre-back crisis could halt Klopp’s side, who
were a level above their rivals throughout. Not even Jose Mourinho could argue
here, although knowing him he’ll try.
even another centre-back crisis could halt Klopp’s side, who
were a level above their rivals throughout. Not even Jose Mourinho could argue
here, although knowing him he’ll try.
Liverpool lost Fabinho before a ball was even kicked. “Minor
muscle issue,” said the club. Major selection headache, more like.
muscle issue,” said the club. Major selection headache, more like.
At least Joel Matip was back,
though, selected again after missing the FA Cup loss to Manchester United last
week. Matip looked like a Rolls Royce in the first half, first to everything,
but he lasted just 45 minutes, replaced at half-time by Nathaniel Phillips, who
slotted in alongside captain Jordan Henderson at the back. “Ankle
ligaments,” said Klopp. It looks and sounds like a serious one.
though, selected again after missing the FA Cup loss to Manchester United last
week. Matip looked like a Rolls Royce in the first half, first to everything,
but he lasted just 45 minutes, replaced at half-time by Nathaniel Phillips, who
slotted in alongside captain Jordan Henderson at the back. “Ankle
ligaments,” said Klopp. It looks and sounds like a serious one.
That, incredibly, means Liverpool have now used 16 different
centre-back partnerships this season – Matip and Henderson was the 15th. They
have played 20 Premier League games, and started with 11 different
combinations.
centre-back partnerships this season – Matip and Henderson was the 15th. They
have played 20 Premier League games, and started with 11 different
combinations.
As things stand, their three senior centre-halves are injured
and so is their backup. No wonder ‘Sign a CB’ was trending on Twitter. There
is still time before Monday’s deadline. They simply have to act.
and so is their backup. No wonder ‘Sign a CB’ was trending on Twitter. There
is still time before Monday’s deadline. They simply have to act.
At least they looked like themselves otherwise, though. Spurs’
performance was curious, lacking in ambition once Harry Kane, their talisman,
had departed with an injury of his own at half-time. Mourinho has now lost each
of his last four games against Klopp, a statistic that will trouble the
Portuguese as much as his team’s display.
performance was curious, lacking in ambition once Harry Kane, their talisman,
had departed with an injury of his own at half-time. Mourinho has now lost each
of his last four games against Klopp, a statistic that will trouble the
Portuguese as much as his team’s display.
Liverpool led at the break,
Henderson picking a gem of a pass from deep for Mane, whose cross gave Firmino
the simplest of tap-ins. It was the Reds’ first goal in the league in 486
minutes, and Firmino’s fifth in six games against Spurs. The Brazilian, like
Alexander-Arnold, was his old self on the night.
Henderson picking a gem of a pass from deep for Mane, whose cross gave Firmino
the simplest of tap-ins. It was the Reds’ first goal in the league in 486
minutes, and Firmino’s fifth in six games against Spurs. The Brazilian, like
Alexander-Arnold, was his old self on the night.
Spurs had seen an early goal, scored by Son Heung-min,
disallowed after a wafer-thin offside call by the VAR, but they were second
best for the most part. Alexander-Arnold got Liverpool’s second, rifling home
after Hugo Lloris made a meal of Mane’s low shot. It was the 22-year-old’s
first goal of the campaign, and taken clinically.
disallowed after a wafer-thin offside call by the VAR, but they were second
best for the most part. Alexander-Arnold got Liverpool’s second, rifling home
after Hugo Lloris made a meal of Mane’s low shot. It was the 22-year-old’s
first goal of the campaign, and taken clinically.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s rasper gave Spurs hope, as did another
VAR call which denied Mohamed Salah a third for Liverpool.
VAR call which denied Mohamed Salah a third for Liverpool.
Thankfully, the officials would
not decide this contest, the players would. Alexander-Arnold was the provider,
his superb cross causing problems for Joe Rodon and allowing Mane to ram home
for 3-1.
not decide this contest, the players would. Alexander-Arnold was the provider,
his superb cross causing problems for Joe Rodon and allowing Mane to ram home
for 3-1.
That was enough, Liverpool closing the game out with focus and
determination, epitomised by Milner’s relentless hustling and Henderson’s
constant instruction from the back. They’ve had their critics, deservedly so,
but here they were stars dressed in red, every last one of them.
determination, epitomised by Milner’s relentless hustling and Henderson’s
constant instruction from the back. They’ve had their critics, deservedly so,
but here they were stars dressed in red, every last one of them.
For the first time in weeks, they looked like Liverpool. After a
month of darkness, has the dawn arrived?
month of darkness, has the dawn arrived?