Stoke City O Liverpool 1: Coutinho's stunning winner gives Liverpool revenge

Another season of hope and blood pressure steadily rising in anticipation after League Champions Chelsea hung on for a draw against Swansea and Arsenal’s two-nil loss at home to Slaven Bilic’s West Ham proving football is a “funny old game” as the great Jimmy Greaves used to say.

After the six-one thumping in the final game of last season we had to exorcise the ghost of St Mary’s which had haunted us ever since, ignominiously closing the Steven Gerrard era. With only four members of that team starting Brendan Rodgers hoped any psychological damage would be minimal, especially with the imposing Benteke now leading the line.

Interestingly, 18 year old Joe Gomez after his move from Charlton made his Premier League debut ahead of Alberto Moreno starting from the bench seated alongside marquee signing Roberto Firmino.   Another new incumbent Nathaniel Clyne started in the right-back position vacated by Stoke’s new recruit Glen Johnson.

Liverpool started well pressing high up the pitch and through Henderson and Lallana fired in early if unsuccessful crosses for Benteke.   The young full-back Gomez refused to be unbowed against the imposing Walters and on 25 minutes put in a thunderous tackle.

The game was competitive affair with both teams cancelling each out in the middle of the pitch.  Although Stoke began to impose themselves in the final 15 minutes of the half without any real glaring chances being created.

A minute into the second-half Lallana burst down the right before clipping in across on the right aimed at Benteke, unfortunately the ex-Villa hitman air kicked on the half-volley, but it showed the intent to feed the attributes of their new striker.

In a game where Liverpool began to dominate possession it looked as if a dead ball situation would be the only way to break the deadlock.  Charlie Adam came close curling in a free-kick which Mignolet pushed round the post.

There were sporadic moments where Liverpool’s quality led primarily by the mercurial Coutinho filtered through the workmanlike nature of the game. 

His silky maze surging deep into the Stoke area almost expedited a break through, before seeing both his and Benteke’s attempts brilliantly blocked by solid Stoke defending.  Skrtel got his head to the resultant corner which Butland plucked out the air with a flashy dive.

Can, who replaced Lallana just after the hour, almost released Benteke with a slide rule pass only to see the impressive Geoff Cameron excelerate in Usain Bolt style to snuff out the threat.

Johnson in turn, as Liverpool fans know so well cut in from the left to deliver a ball which begged to be headed in by Diouf at the far post only to see Clyne appear in the nick of time to head behind.

On 86 minutes came the moment which decided the game.

Liverpool keeping the ball from a free-kick from the centre funnelled the ball out to Gomez on the left.  The ex-Charlton defender passed the ball into Coutinho who cleverly rolled Steve Sidwell before taking the ball on and drilling home a 25 yard which powered though the despairing hands of Butland.

It was a goal fit to win any game and it did.

Man of the Match:  Coutinho looked short of fitness after only recently re-joining the squad from his stint at the Copa America.  His first touch often let him down in the first half, but as the game progressed he began to slowly show his effectiveness in patches resulting in a fabulous winner which stamped his class all-over a match which had been heading for a draw.

Critical eye:  It was type of game last season where Liverpool would have under the incessant physical challenge led by Diouf and Walters.

The defence deserve praise and played as a unit to shut down any real chances for Diouf who had so tormented them on their last visit.  Lovren, much denigrated, produced arguably his strongest performance since arriving at the club.

In his first Premier League appearance Joe Gomez did remarkably well up against seasoned campaigner Jon Walters and remained undeterred against the wily campaigner looking to throw his game off kilter.

Clyne on also his first appearance for the club was hardly out of position and made some vital interventions.

Liverpool struggled to support Benteke in their willingness to launch long balls up to him and with the running power and the strategy for Henderson and Milner to provide protection to the back four it falls to Coutinho more than ever to deliver the invention. Jordan Ibe also did well holding the ball and linking up with midfield colleagues without gaining the penetration, but he did well working back the other way to help Clyne.

All in all, there’s enough to work on in terms of the support and running off Benteke, and finding creativity outside of Coutinho.  But we defended well, kept our shape particularly when Stoke were trying to build attacks.

In a game where we knew it would be a fierce struggle physically and a battle to get past the psychological scars from 77 days ago we came out on top and didn’t concede which is all one can ask for.

Teams:

Stoke City: 1 Jack Butland, 8 Glen Johnson, 20 Geoff Cameron, 5 Marc Mumiesa, 3 Erik Pieters (45 mins - Phillippe Wollschied), 15 Marco van Ginkel, 6 Glenn Whelan, 19 Jon Walters, 16 Charlie Adam (78 mins – Steve Sidwell), 14 Ibrahim Afellay (78 mins – Peter Odemwingie), 18 Mame Biram Diouf

Subs:  7 Stephen Ireland, 9 Peter Odemwingie, 11 Joselu, 21 Steve Sidwell, 24 Shay Given, 25 Peter Crouch, 26 Phillipp Wollschied

Liverpool: 22 Simon Mignolet, 2 Nathaniel Clyne, 37 Martin Skrtel, 6 Dejan Lovren 8 Joe Gomez, 7 James Milner, 14 Jordan Henderson, 33 Jordon Ibe (78 mins – Roberto Firmino), Philippe Coutinho, 20 Adam Lallana (63 mins - Emre Can), 9 Christian Benteke

Subs: 4 Kolo Toue, 11 Roberto Firmino, 18 Alberto Moreno, 23 Emre Can, 27 Divock Origi, 28 Danny Ings, 34 Adam Bogdan

Possession: 47% Stoke 53% Liverpool

Shots: Stoke 7 (1 on target) Liverpool 8 (3 on target)

Corners: Stoke 3 Liverpool 7

Fouls: Stoke 9 Liverpool 16

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Attendance: 27,654