The buzz started emanating at least a couple of days before that long-term injured Daniel Sturridge was back. Brendan Rodgers wanted to be judged when all his key pieces were back on board, but bad luck struck in the last training session with captain Jordan Henderson suffering a catastrophic metatarsal injury which put him out for at least two months.
Sturridge inclusion seemed a measure of Rodgers desperation to find the quality to break his team out its deep malaise. A manager under pressure.
If there was trepidation tinged with excitement at Sturridge’s return, I felt disbelief in Rodgers picking Emre Can in a back three with Lucas in the holding role. Gomez made way for Moreno and Sakho for the maligned Lovren.
We struggled in the first twenty minutes to get to grips with a free-flowing Norwich looking to break at every opportunity. Milner and Lucas struggled centrally and with Coutinho unable to get away from his markers the creativity levels left the much vaunted attack living of scraps. That being said, Milner after some fantastic work by Moreno down the left should have put us ahead with both sides of the goal to slot the ball into he shot blocked.
Sturridge looked relatively sharp looking at every opportunity to link play and combine with his strike partner.
The England striker will be disappointed not to have scored after being put through by Milner. His curling effort was easily pushed away by the diving Ruddy. Coutinho also saw a header end-up the wrong side of the near post.
Moreno impressive throughout again managed to find Milner driving through the middle. The midfielder played for a one-two with Benteke whose return was a tad out reach. It was to be Benteke’s last meaningful contribution before being replaced by Danny Ings at the break after feeling a tight hamstring.
Early in the second half came the moment which makes one wonder if Brendan Rodgers will ever work out how to work with Benteke.
Liverpool pressed forcing a mistake and Moreno’s beautifully weighted floated pass found Ings who chested the ball into his stride on his left to slide under Ruddy. It was a superb finish to get him underway.
The former Burnley striker is more adept at playing the road runner role that Benteke.
Minutes later the striker almost found Sturridge when his cross from the right was cut out at the last.
Simon Mignolet as he his wont brought Norwich back into the game when his indecisive punch was controlled superbly and flicked passed the hapless keeper by Martin. If ever there was proof positive that Mignolet is not top class this was it. His mistake killed any momentum stone dead and hopefully this will be his final season at Anfield.
One can not question his shot stopping abilities and he pulled off a fantastic reaction save from Jarvis minutes later.
It would be churlish to say Norwich didn’t deserve their point as they more than played their part, but Liverpool had the clearest chance in the match with Coutinho streaking away one on one with Ruddy and instead of looking to be clinical tried and failed to be too cute seeing his shot well saved by the onrushing keeper.
Liverpool had a half chance through Ings after some magical work by Lallana, but that was as good as it got from a workmanlike and unimpressive home team.
Man of the Match: Danny Ings – provided a focal point upfront with Daniel Sturridge searching for sharpness and fitness. Took his goal brilliantly and never looked like missing.
Critical eye: Yet another poor performance by Rodgers minions and one is already asking whether he has the acumen to get the best out of Benteke.
It could well be that if Rodgers is to save his job an Ings/Sturridge partnership may just be the answer to his problems. Ings running down the channels suddenly gave those behind him an opportunity to find a willing running ahead as he looked to stretch the play.
Moreno was excellent as good as I’ve seen him in a Liverpool shirt, with his incisive runs and ability to pick out his man on the run, especially with subtle chipped pass for the goal.
Coutinho until late in the second-half failed to get rid of his man to man marker, but the worrying fact is that Liverpool have very little creative options behind him and Rodgers must trust Can in the engine room or in the holding role. In the holding role it would provide him with the opportunity to unleash his range of passes and in the absence of Henderson move Lallana into a central berth partnering the disappointing Milner with Rossiter to come on in support.
Sakho did enough to suggest he deserves a long run it the side and hopefully make Lovren a thing of the past.
Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 23 Can, 37 Skrtel, 17 Sakho, 2 Clyne, 7 Milner, 21 Lucas (Firmino –72 mins), 18 Moreno, 10 Coutino, 15 Sturridge (Lallana – 63 mins), 9 Benteke (Ings – 45 mins)
Subs: 6 Lovren, 11 Firmino, 12 Gomez, 20 Lallana, 28 Ings, 33 Ibe, 34 Bogdan
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 44,072
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