Keep Sturridge or sell him to PSG for £50m

Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)

With recent speculation of Liverpool facing a potential £50m transfer offer from PSG for our number one striker Daniel Sturridge, the question was asked on our brilliant WhatsApp LFC group yesterday about the pros and cons of whether we should continue with the brilliant but fragile striker or sell reason being we cannot guarantee his continued fitness.

It brought about a lively debate and here are the highlights:

Pros to keeping Sturridge

• Best striker in Premier League outside of Aguero
• Clinical goal scorer when fit
•  Fantastic at linking up with similarly skilled attacking players i.e. Coutinho/Firmino
• Currently 47 goals in 81 games (excellent 58% goal scoring ratio)
• Approaching his peak years which if he stays we will see the very best of  his talent
• It will show that we are no longer a selling club (Suarez, Sterling, Torres to name a few….)

Cons to keeping Sturridge

• Injury prone for the best part of two seasons so the club haven’t been able to get the best out of his great goal scoring talent
• Tendency to complain/sulk about being subbed when sometimes its in his own health’s interest to substitute him
• Not emotive when Liverpool score – does not celebrate with other team mates when they score
• It will strengthen a European rival if he left 

As you can see the pros heavily outweighs the cons, but our debate highlighted below shows that its a subject very emotive to Reds fans.

Read the debate and add your comments.

Momo – To be honest I don’t see much effort from Sturridge maybe its because he’s scared of being injured but I don’t see the drive he had when he was part of the great SAS but no doubt he is still a quality player just needs to put up more of a fight when playing.

Momo – I’m a big of a Sturridge fan but that is a lot of money

Kop-Post – Replace him with?

Momo – At £50 million there’s a lot of options I’d love us to put in a bid for Reus and maybe even Hernandez.

RP – I would like to keep Sturridge, he still has brilliant moments that can decide a match – but if he prefers PSG, let him go, don’t carry a dog to the hunt. Klopp has proven to be able to detect strikers and develop them up such as Lewandowski or Aubameyang who nobody knew before.

Momo – Or Lacazette

DG - £50m for a 26 year old(soon to be 27), with not the best fitness record would be a great result. I love Studge and think he is quality but I just cannot see him keeping for a long period. He is bound to get injured and we need our main striker to offer more games. His goal scoring record is great but if he gets another injury, do you think we can ever get that sort of offer from another club again? I think we should sell him for £50m if that offer is on the table.

Fran – As for Sturridge I would keep him but on condition he’s willing to improve and not strop when subbed. But if he wants to go then help him pack and get in another. Doesn’t have to be a big name but a work horse not diva that can assist and score

Billy – As for Sturridge tough call for that price, with all that injury pros and mind over matter you have to think. Bottom line for me is if he wants to go than we should not hold him back, because he will sulk more. If he wants to stay that’s all good

Edet – Not long ago we were looking for who will take Sturridge off our book due to the scale of his injury. I think £50m is too tempting an offer to turn down very lightly. Rupert – But money doesn’t score goals and win trophies

DG – Well he hasn’t won trophies and he has not necessarily scored much since his return (I know I am being harsh as his record when he has played is amazing) But …….. £50m could get us money to buy a Hernandez (I think he is great for the fast football we play) and another striker to replace him.

DG – The reason we replace Sturridge is that Benteke will go and Origi for me is not an out and out striker

Fran – I think the club has proven that no one is a sure fit. We can name names but doesn’t guarantee they’ll be great when they arrive. Leicester are a good example that you don’t need big names, just skill and a heart to play. I’m tired of a lot of players at the club and want a good clear out. Who to replace them with I don’t know but I know a few just got to go. First out of the door should be Martin Skrtel

DG – I agree that you don’t need big names I suggested Hernandez earlier only because he has a proven EPL goal scoring record and although he was never the main striker at Man Utd, he always worked extremely hard. That is exactly the type of player we need in that position, someone who will work hard and make constant runs into the box. That is one of the reasons that Benteke has not been a success for us plus the fact that he has forgotten how to put the ball in the back of the net for us when he is one on one with the keeper and I can no longer put it down to confidence

KP– That’s true to an extent but bigger clubs tend to go for bigger signings. If we had bought Vardy or Mahrez can you imagine the furore by LFC fans. When we spend £25 million fans are normally upset we didn’t spend £40/50 million. Basically whatever we are spending we have to buy better players. I said at the time we’d be sorry for not buying Delli Alli. Sell Sturridge and bring in certified goals and that goes for Benteke too

DG – I don’t think that a true fan would challenge how much that is spent on a player if he performs. Well I personally don’t. e spent £20m on Markovic and £32 million on Benteke but what difference did they make. If Liverpool ended up signing a £4-5m I wouldn’t be upset that we didn’t spend £30-£40m. Its better that the club didn’t splash out a stupid money just for a name. But of course , the way the football market is, when your team does get a player that cheap, you as a fan automatically assume that if the player was so good how did we get him so cheap. It is then for the player to prove his worth

KP– It happens all the time with our fans. Pure fan power brought Robbie Fowler back to the club. What we need is real class. Leicester are doing great but this is a freak year. Huge television money means everyone has hung onto their players come next season now if Leicester are still the business then wow. But you know the big guns especially City with Pep on the scene will break the bank. Hernandez at Liverpool as a number one striker……..not for me

Karl – Daniel Sturridge, for me is the best striker in the Premiership, bar Aguero. He’s excellent – deadly when in the zone. If we sold him, we wouldn’t miss him because we haven’t had him play for us in the past two seasons. Everyone has their price – I’m not keen on buying former Man Utd players so Hernandez is a no-no for me. Keeping Sturridge is fine by me as long as we get at least 30/35 games a season from him. But what we need is to ensure that we no longer need to rely on his brilliance and get someone in to do the business. Unlikely to be Double Origi or Benteke, regrettably or Ings

DG – I don’t question Sturridge’s ability. He is deadly when in the zone (as long as its not on his right foot lol) But as I said earlier, sometimes you got to take up these offers when the player has huge injury problems as he does. Fair enough on Hernandez but I just see him as having the right qualities for what we need. To me, if we were to get him it’s United’s loss for letting him go and I couldn’t care less where he played before if he gives his all for Liverpool and plays with his heart. Some players like Evra, Vidic, Giggs, Roy Keane etc; I could never take to Liverpool but to me – Hernandez is not in that category…. Totally agree that if we do let Studge go, the likes of Origi and Benteke or Ings will do the business and we definitely will need a proper goal scorer

KP– As I said, I don’t want him at our club. Not special/good enough to be fronting up as the number 1 striker. The key thing with a potential £50 million windfall is I have never seen a club rebuilding or building a stadium hand back full transfer fees to a manager – no matter the rhetoric been spun about transfer fees not being affected

Ultimately, further discussions will I assume take place before Sturridge flies out with England for the Euro’s – I hope he stays and we get to appreciate his fantastic skills and sensational scoring ability as a LFC player because he could become a LFC legend should he stay fit and keeps scoring regular goals.

A figure of £50m for a player that has not played regularly is a massive carrot being dangled in front of us – it is now a massive test of character and our trust in  Klopp and co.

Time will tell which way this debate will sway but it will no doubt continue until the end of this season.

Skrtel substitution for Lovren potentially ends 4th spot hopes of Champions League Football – Southampton 3 Liverpool 2

Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)

Its now a couple of days since our dismal collapse at the hands of the Saints and I am still mystified as to how we threw away such a dominate position at half-time to lose the game.

Maybe the news of the team bus being delayed prior to the game affected our overall mindset – (clutching at straws I know!!!)

Our chances of reaching the Champions League through our league position has now effectively vanished after this astonishing result at St Mary’s. The substitution of Lovren for Skrtel by Klopp and Wanyama and Mane being brought on by Southampton manager Ronald Koeman completely turned this one sided game on its head.

The Mane substitution didn’t initially look that clever when he missed a penalty three minutes after coming on with a decent save from Mignolet but he had the final laugh with two vital goals to help secure the turnaround win for the Saints.

We had started the game with Jon Flanagan celebrating a new 3 year contract deal by being rewarded with the captaincy for the day – this seemed like a nice gesture by Klopp.

It looked like a chilly spring afternoon on the south coast as we were looking to register a fourth straight league win for the first time since March 2015. Klopp certainly bold with his starting line with Origi alongside Sturridge.

All three changes enforced with Henderson unable to train on Friday due to illness, Firmino hampered by a hamstring issue and Milner banned
.
Joe Allen getting a rare start ahead of club captain Henderson.

All three of Liverpool’s former Southampton players - Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana - are all in the starting line-up for the Reds.

If memory recalls, then former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was a bit miffed after the league meeting here last season that some ex-Saints weren’t given the respect they merited on their return.

We were on the front foot from the start but had one initial scare when Lovren misjudged a high ball forward, Long burst away into the box and Lovren in trying to get back goalside, put an arm on Long’s shoulder and sent him tumbling in the area but the referee Roger East waved away the claims of the Saints players and fans for a penalty. At the time Lovren was the luckiest man in the South Coast because most days that’s a certain penalty in our league.

We took advantage of this with our team taking control with our little magician Coutinho at the forefront of everything positive we were doing.

GOAL!! 1-0 Coutinho ---What a lovely strike from Coutinho. He loves it here. This time he comes in off the left flank and 20 yards out curls one in with his right foot. Forster could have done better, but we won’t mind too much. Number nine for the season for our little magician. Big credit to Lallana for his part in the goal. He won the ball back on halfway and fed Coutinho out on the left.

GOAL!! 2-0 Sturridge --- This time Coutinho’s pass with the outside of his left foot sent Divock Origi scampering forward from the left. With Southampton’s defence back-pedalling, he showed awareness to tee up Sturridge, whose calm left footed finish was whipped past Forster.

Two goals should have become three in the 25th minute when a sweeping move involving Coutinho, Adam Lallana and Emre Can ended at the feet of Joe Allen but the Welshman shot straight at Forster.

Clasping his hands to head, Allen knew he should have ended the game as a contest and his mood did not improve when his 33rd-minute ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside. Harsh on Allen. Sakho was in an offside position and jumped over it but there was no chance Forster was getting that. It proved to ultimately be decisive.

Minutes later it again should have been 3-0. We break again, this time Allen releases Sturridge down the inside right but he goes too wide and his right shot from the angle was comfortable for Forster. Another fantastic opportunity wasted which would later come back to haunt us. 

Can and Allen have been outstanding so far. Complete control in midfield – After halftime all that was to change dramatically!

Koeman’s introduction of Mané – available for the match after Saints had appealed successfully against the red card he was shown in the victory away to Stoke City nine days ago – made an immediate difference.

Our manager Jürgen Klopp’s own introduction at the break of Martin Skrtel in favour of former Saint Dejan Lovren, who had been booked, was less successful, as Graziano Pelle dominated the Slovakian defender in the air and on the ground throughout the second half.

After 48 minutes referee East did award a penalty to Southampton when Skrtel pulled Pelle’s shirt. Mignolet dived to his right to save Mané’s kick, but if that was a blow to either Mané or the home side, it did not show, and after 64 minutes, Mané, played in by Pelle, twisted past Sakho and shot past Mignolet’s left hand.

Even then, we continued to make openings, but Christian Benteke scuffed the best one wide again through on goal he just doesn't have the clinical finish in these situations, and instead of 3-1 it was 2-2 after 83 minutes when Pelle won a long high ball against sloppy Skrtel, took a return pass from Long and smacked it past Mignolet’s right hand.

Three minutes later and the comeback was complete. Skrtel missed a header and Pelle played the ball through for Mané to hold off Sakho and roll a shot into the corner of the net as Koeman sprinted joyfully along the touchline (celebrations usually reserved for Klopp), showing more pace than he had in his playing days.

Southampton: Forster, Martina, Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand, Steven Davis, Romeu(Ward-Prowse 69), Clasie (Wanyama 45), Tadic (Mane 45), Long, Pelle

Subs not used: Cedric, Yoshida, Juanmi, Stekelenburg

Booked: Mane 

Goals: Mane 64, 86, Pelle 83

Liverpool: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren(Skrtel 45), Sakho, Flanagan, Lallana, Allen(Ojo 87)Can, Coutinho, Sturridge (Benteke 70),Origi. 

Subs not used: Toure, Henderson, Smith, Ward

Booked: Lovren, Can, Skrtel 

Goals: Coutinho 17, Sturridge 22

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)

Attendance: 31,596

Man of the match: Coutinho – in the first half he was outstanding again being instrumental in everything we were creating.

Positives – The chances created in the game on a normal day would be rewarded with a convincing win

Negatives – Not clinical enough with the chances costing us the vital game and ultimately the Klopp substitution decision of bringing on Skrtel and the 8^th one on one chance miss by Benteke has cost us again. Skrtel as mentioned by a fellow passionate red Fran is not good enough for our club and needs to be one of the first players out the door in the summer. His mistakes in the second half were shockingly poor and we need to put on end to this defensive disaster.

We need to now win every single league game left to qualify for the Champions League through the league spots – it is now highly unlikely so we should ensure we go all guns blazing for the Euro League route of qualifying for the Champions League.

Klopp’s after match comments:-“There are still 27 points to get, but we don’t have to dream of things like this,” Klopp said. “We have to play football and win games. If we play like we did in the first half we can win. If we play like in the second half it’s more difficult. “I’m not a good loser so I don’t feel brilliant, as you can imagine, but I’m not angry, I am frustrated that we got nothing for a very good first half,” he added, downplaying suggestions that Thursday’s Europa League tie away to Manchester United had left his players weary in that second half.

“It’s easy to count the games we had and the games Southampton had. Of course, there’s a difference, but it’s a football problem, nothing else – football mistakes and we can learn from them and we will. But for today it’s too late because we lost.”

Man United 1 Liverpool 1: Liverpool win 3-1 on aggregate

All week there was a feeling of trepidation, whether it was in the office talking to fellow red Francoise both of us wary of Manc colleague Richard or seeing my Newsagent in Blackhorse Road Station  knowing full well that should Manchester United come back from the dead then there would be no hiding place for a life time.  The would be no hiding place, literally.

Jurgen Klopp sprang a surprise by selecting James Milner for Alberto Moreno, injured in training, ahead of one assumed the natural replacement Brad Smith.  The manager reasoning that he did not want Old Trafford to become the theatre of nightmares for Smith.

As expected this was a different Man United, more sharp of mind and with decidedly more cutting edge with Rashford now facing the opposing goal rather than a supporting act at left-back and Martial on the left with the aim of causing Nathanial Clyne discomfort.

The atmosphere was ramped up to fever pitch with LVG looking for role reversal in having the home crowd playing as his 12th man.  Early in with the crowd baying for United to get on top, yet another stray elbow by the flailing arms of Fellaini found its way into the face of a another Liverpool player.  In the first leg read Can, this time Firmino with the same result of no red card (he would strike again in the head of Lovren).

United started well gaining momentum through the first twenty minutes without fashioning out a serious chance, although that was partially down to Sakho controlling the backline in a way seldom seen by any Liverpool defender since Jamie Carragher and Emre Can ahead of him giving us two solid pieces of a spine we were bound to need throughout the evening.

Within the space of a minute Man United should have got themselves back into the game. First, Juan Mata miscued his volley after the ball had been bubbling around in the area and then Simon Mignolet saved well from Jesse Lingard’s header at close range.

The impressive Martial the sliced past Clyne with comparative ease before shooting over.  It was a sign of United on the front foot and worrying Martial was the standard bearer targeting Liverpool’s number one defender.

As good as United looked Liverpool were a threat on the break and almost took the lead on the half hour.  A quick break up field ended in a powerful drive which David De Gea unbelievably got down to, seeing it late as the ball appeared to be on its way past him.  The save was stunning.

Over the next ten minutes Liverpool reasserted control with David De Gea seeing action saving on the half-volley from Firmino’s shot from outside the area.

Clyne having a decidedly uncomfortable evening, probably his worst in a Liverpool shirt allowed himself to be suckered into a rash challenge before bringing down the flying Martial for a penalty.  Clyne could have easily pointed to the lack of cover.

Martial dispatched the penalty in clinical fashion sending Mignolet the wrong way.
Three minutes later Liverpool were almost back on track.  Sturridge after being cynically brought down by Blind on the right flank, whipped it a stunning free-kick over the wall and past the out stretched De Gea, but unfortunately the ball smacked against the woodwork and out to safety.  It was stunning and a reminder of Sturridge brilliance.

Again looking menacing on the attacking, a lovely flowing move ended with Henderson playing the ball to Coutinho who returned the compliment with a stunning reverse ball to send Henderson through on goal, but the Liverpool skipper disappointingly blazed over with only the keeper to beat.

Then the two moments that changed the game.

Danny Blind knocked a hopeful ball into the Liverpool box which looked to be sailing out, that was and until Fellaini cut the ball back on the volley to the near post and into the path of Rojo arriving on cue, but with the goal at his mercy Sakho as he would do throughout pulled off a last ditch tackle which sent the ball wide of the near post.

A minute later Old Trafford lit up with the brilliance of a true magician.

Coutinho, found on the left in oceans of space from an intelligent ball by Can, the number 10 headed straight at Varela and with a drop of the shoulder and slight shuffle he glided by the full-back heading for goal on the angle. One he arrived to be greeted by De Gea, Coutinho never a man to be worried by reputations, waited for the keeper to make the first move which resulted in him committing himself to the floor and watching Coutinho deftly chip the ball over his head into the back of the net and kill the tie stone dead.

It was genius.

Knowing that Man United  needed three goals to win the tie Liverpool sat back in the opening fifteen minutes of the second-half allowing Man United to make the running.

Man United enjoyed a few opportunities with Rashford pulling an effort wide from just outside the area and Fellaini on the end of an excellent cross field cross from Michael Carrick which he could only head harmlessly into the arms of Mignolet.  Martial and Lingard were also involved in a glorious move combining with Lingard flicking the ball through to Martial to shoot over.

Sensing the need to keep pressing Jurgen Klopp replaced Sturridge with Origi.

Man United may have belated starting playing better in the tie, but David De Gea was no less busy at Old Trafford than he had been at Anfield.  Again he was called upon to palm over a drilled effort from Coutinho from just outside the area and with time counting down in the game the keeper saved well from Origi’s shot with the defence coming to his aid as Joe Allen steamed in to tuck home the rebound.

The second-half was relatively comfortable with Coutinho’s magical goal on the throes of half-time quietening the 12th man and extinguish any real ambition LVG’s men had of entering the fray for the next round.

Man of the Match: Mamadou Sakho – Absolutely immense. Stood head and shoulders above all comers on the pitch with a defensive display which was as good as anything seen by a centre-back for Liverpool since the retirement of Jamie Carragher.

Was good to see how vocal he appeared looking to organised all around him.  He headed out literally every loose ball and man match saving tackles and interventions.  His passing which is often understated was on point.

Like all Liverpool fans I’m hoping for a sustain run in the side not blighted by injury.
Emre Can was excellent also, allaying his obvious physical abilities and running power to his ability to pick out a good pass which his did succinctly for the goal.

Philippe Coutinho talent was the difference between the sides. His goal was a stunning effort which left Man United as flat as their second half performance.  Top teams need a special players and he with a fit Daniel Sturridge is ours.

We are still a work in progress, but have bloodied some very big noses this season.

Change takes time and we are going the right way, the Klopp way.  As a revolutionary once said, “The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall”.

Excellent performance gives Liverpool the upper hand in the tie – Liverpool 2 Man Utd 0 – Europa League Round of 16

Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)

Liverpool 2: Sturridge (pen) 20', Firmino 74'
Manchester United 0: 

Pregame Thoughts: As a Liverpool or Man Utd fan it doesn’t get bigger than this - Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield for a European Night. We named a very strong attacking line-up: Sturridge up top, with Lallana, Firmino, and Coutinho all in support in the attacking midfield band. That's a lot of pressing and a lot of potential firepower tonight. It would be nice to see Coutinho show up against United like he customarily does against City, and I'd love to see Sturridge get back into the swing of things and score some big, big goals tonight. 

A rousing edition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" completely drowning out the Europa League anthem (which no one recognizes anyway, even if we probably should at this point) it also drowns out the standard Man Utd away fans chants of Man-ches-ter. As stated by our manager Jurgen Klopp “the Mother of all football games” is now ready to start !!!

Straight from the kick off Memphis Depay gets free and whips in a dangerous cross which Moreno mis-reads and finds Rashford free in the box – (which he I am sure) suspected that Moreno would clear within literally the first 15 seconds. Nothing comes of it, but that was a shocking start for us. 

Massive warnings about the card happy referee Carlos Carballo before the game, our captain Henderson chooses to ignore all the warnings and comes in with a high boot and goes into the book in the second minute. In Europe that is usually a yellow card in the Prem that is just a final warning before the night becomes seriously marred. Could be a long night at this rate for the captain...

****PENALTY**** Firmino dinks a lovely little through ball into Clyne and Depay takes him down. Clear penalty.

****GOAL!****  1-0 Sturridge steps up and calmly slots it home to the keeper’s right, despite De Gea guessing correctly and getting a fingertip to it. 

Our tails were now up after the goal, and we immediately win the first corner of the night.

De Gea comes up big (shocker) a few minutes later, Sturridge’s cross-cum-shot from the right of the penalty box finds the Brazilian Coutinho on the far post but he doesn’t get enough purchase on the effort with the outside of his right foot and it is scrambled off the line by the Spaniard.as he makes a great effort to deny Coutinho from close range.

The only real alarm at the our end came when Sakho missed his clearance and attempted a lunge to rectify his mistake. If Mata had gone down, the referee would have had a real decision to make. Thankfully nothing came of this incident.

And then he makes another save shortly thereafter, this time with Sturridge getting through on goal after a defensive mistake, and yet again de Gea saves the left-footed effort, which, quite frankly, you expect Sturridge to bury even on a bad day.

As halftime approaches, De Gea makes yet another point blank save. Firmino fizzes one into the near post, Lallana gets a touch but the keeper’s reflexes are excellent, as always.To be fair, Lallana's shot was straight at him, but on another day and against another keeper we could easily be up 3-0 right now. So business as usual around these parts whenever we face De Gea !!!

Half-time: Zero stoppage time, which is always weird. The half was simply one of the best by Liverpool this season, and we'll likely regret not being further in front. Liverpool had nearly 70% of the possession and 5 shots on target to United's big, fat zero. De Gea, as per usual, is having a worldie against us. Coutinho is looking lively, doing magician things but still don’t understand why he didn’t put that chance away with his left foot rather than taking it with the outside of his right foot. Sturridge looked sharp in and around the box. And we looked the better team, through and through. Our one worrying spot in my opinion is the fact that we didn’t finish this tie at halftime!!! The ref has now given 4 yellow cards so far; Henderson and Lovren are on yellows for Liverpool, and Depay and Rashford are in the book for United.

Michael Carrick is brought on for Rashford to start the second half, which, regrettably, seems like a good call. He will try and wrestle the midfield control from Henderson & Can.

Coutinho becomes the fifth name in the book, as he's shown a yellow for simulation just outside the box. Coutinho's sly smile shows that it was probably a good call. 

Mignolet gets in on the action, making a comfortable first save of the night from a speculative shot from Schneiderlin. For the first time this season incredibly, Liverpool have saved a United shot on target.
It wasn't a great one, but still, it's a start.

Manchester United look like a different and much more dangerous team in the second half. Carrick in fact has not turned up in midfield as expected but is playing as the sweeper of a back three which is a waste but good news for us.

Coutinho catches a wonderful effort on the half volley, but De Gea gets across to tip over the bar. Superb save again by De Gea. What is it about playing us that brings out these performances from this keeper – whatever it is we need to get our keeper to learn from him !!! 

Our manager needs to make an adjustment, because I don't know how much longer we can hold with this pressure from United and on cue Wee Joe Allen is coming on for Daniel Sturridge. This midfield certainly could use some parental supervision.

Clyne unleashes a wicked swerving shot from outside the box. De Gea saves it, of course, but that is to be expected !!!

Henderson finally beats De Gea...but narrowly misses the top corner with his side-footed effort. He should also have done better with that chance. However, we are looking much better with Allen in with Firmino playing as the false number nine again. In Klopp we trust! 

****GOAL!!**** 2-0 Liverpool finally beat De Gea again and are now in dreamland. Henderson’s pull back isn’t cleared properly by make-shift sweeper Carrick, Lallana tees up for Firmino and a lovely finish from the Brazilian. It would be a great night if the score remains the same at the end of the game. 

Red smoke bomb goes off BOOM in the main stand as a celebration to the second goal from the LFC fans.

Last throw of the dice by United with just over 10 minutes left with Herrera and Schweinsteiger on, Schneiderlin and Mata off

Fellaini, already on a yellow, tugs back Lallana - but the referee doesn’t show a second yellow. He has been very fortunate in this game.

Origi on for Firmino. Standing ovation from the Kop faithful - Great night for Bobby again – 3^rd goal in 3 appearances.

Fellaini then has United’s closest effort of the night with a headed opportunity with about 3 or 4 mins left that goes just wide.

A foul on Henderson has the Kop chanting off but the referee again doesn’t show Fellaini that second yellow. Just don’t understand why Fellaini is still on the pitch with his fouls throughout the game and the referee continuing to be lenient with him - as his aerial presence has been the only real threat to us.

2 minutes injury time went by without any further threat to our goal.

Full Time: Despite the best efforts of David de Gea, Liverpool will go to Old Trafford with the upper hand. Two goals to the good, and an all important clean sheet. Can't really ask for much more than that.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Henderson, Can; Coutinho, Firmino (Origi 84), Lallana; Sturridge (Allen 64)

Subs not used: Ward, Toure, Benteke, Smith, Ojo

Goal: Strurridge (pen 20), Firmino 74

Booked: Henderson, Lovren, Coutinho

Manchester United (4-4-1-1): De Gea; Varela, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Rashford (Carrick 45), Fellaini, Schneiderlin (Schweinsteiger 79), Depay; Mata (Herrera 79); Martial

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Weir, Riley

Booked: Depay, Rashford, Fellaini

Attendane 43,228

Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Madrid)

Man of the match – Nathaniel Clyne – won the vital penalty for us with excellent movement and produced a rasping drive which was well saved towards the Kop end in the second half, Clyne came to play and was solid throughout and made several crucial challenges whilst defending – he delivered both attacking and defending in style.

Special mentions

Firmino – Took his goal with typical nonchalance of a player high on confidence, set up Lallana for a chance first half and carried threat and work rate throughout the game – long may this form continue as he seems to be another player that scores big game goals.

Lallana - Twists and turns produced some good balls into the box and he kept his poise well to tee up Firmino for the second. He's in a very good place at the moment playing very well in two of the last three games.

Allen - Did very well when introduced for Sturridge, helping us reassert midfield control on the game.

Summary

The final score 2-0 is a very good result and an excellent team performance throughout – following up from the brilliant home League win vs Man City and the smash and grab win by 10 men at Crystal Palace – the momentum is currently with us so we need to now go to Old Trafford next week Thursday get an away goal and the job is then complete.

Great stuff by our players – well done to all of them.

After match reactions from the managers

Man United manager Van Gaal said the following after the game “Liverpool created an atmosphere that was fantastic and we could not cope with their pressure. It was a cheap penalty. 2-0 is a difficult result for us but we too need to create an atmosphere like Liverpool did. Liverpool deserved the goals but how they created them was cheap.”

Our manager Klopp said “Atmosphere tonight, not that I'll forget it, was absolutely unbelievable. It was really great and I want to say thank you to everyone who was involved in this atmosphere.

“It was easy to enjoy from the first till the last second. This was Liverpool how I knew it before I came here so that was really, really great and thank you for this.”

Nice way to finish the blog lets now complete the job next week!!!