Year in year out Steven Gerrard picked Liverpool teams up by
the scruff of the deck. The great man
was in attendance today in a week in which he announced his retirement to
universal praise. Up until the 75th minute Liverpool needed a pick
me up.
The pick me up when it came was instigated by Liverpool’s
joint man of the match Jürgen Klopp and the Anfield faithful. Boyed by Klopp, those inside the cauldron who
had fallen silent, suddenly reacted as if branded by red hot poker. The super charged atmosphere was all
Liverpool needed to expedite a vital win.
The fluency of the brilliant front three had stalled
recently with teams using the Jose Mourinho template of denying them space to
operate in. Liverpool were still without
Adam Lallana and the long-term injured Danny Ings and just when it seemed a
possible return may have been in the offing for Daniel Sturridge his injury
jinx struck again (a thigh strain).
Liverpool enjoyed huge dollops of possession without
creating a clear opening early on.
Wijnaldum, turning on a dime struck a shot just inside the area which
the impressive Pickford gobbled up without any undue concern. In a half where possession failed to relate
to chances, Mane cut in from the right before his tame shot was easily saved
and Lovren headed wide of the far post from a Henderson free-kick was as good
as it got. The desperate nature of
Liverpool’s football was summed up by Lovren’s speculative drive from distance which
flew well wide of the post.
As bad as the half was the injury picked up by Coutinho on
the half hour could be disastrous to Liverpool’s season. On one of his trademark slalom runs the
Brazilian cut back inside the challenge of Jason Denayer only to be caught by Ndong
on his follow through as he cleared his lines.
The instant wave to the bench suggested it was serious. In the wake of Coutinho’s scan and the
injuries to Ings and Sturridge, Origi’s importance is now vital to Liverpool’s
season.
Now into the second-half, Origi was providing Liverpool with
a focal point to work off. Running the
channels and getting in behind the defence allowed us to stretch the game and occupy
the backline with his power and pace.
The change was effective.
Sadio Mane, subdued in the first-half began to roam firing in two early
shoots in the first few minutes.
Then it was Klopp time.
Sensing his players needed help, he beckoned to the crowd to increase
the decibel level. The change was
instant.
Wijnaldum in tandem with Emre Can moved further forward enabling
more of attacking threat in support of the front three. The former on the end a looped pass from the
later volleyed wide of the left of the far post.
Liverpool were as dominant as they in the first-half with difference
being there was now a goal threat. Milner,
Henderson and Firmino all had goal attempts.
Emre Can came close to breaking the deadlock sliding in to volley just
wide.
Sunderland’s best opportunity came against the run of play. Watmore mis-controlled at the key moment
allowing Karius to bravely dive at his feet before managing to hook the ball
back cross for Victor Anichebe’s shot to be charged down.
One sensed if Liverpool were to score it would take a high
level of skill. It almost came from a
corner as the ball fell to Lovren, he brilliantly back heeled to Mane at the
back post only for his shot to be blocked by Denayer at the last.
And then the breakthrough. The ball found its way out to
Origi after Milner’s shot was blocked off by Ndong. The Belgian fainted to go outside before
cutting inside and delivered an inch perfect shot curled into the far
corner. The anxiety inside the stadium
lifted as if the Anfield faithful tilted their heads back and exhaled as one.
So many times, over the past few seasons we have been on
tenterhooks after dominated games at Anfield only to throw away a win. This time we would not be denied. Mane picked up the ball on the right-wing
just inside his own half after a flick from Origi, proceeded to out run Denayer
all the way into the area, before being upended by Ndong attempting to cover.
James Milner for the fifth time in the Premier League this
season did the necessary from the penalty spot.
Liverpool showed they could be patient with the opposition defending
stoically, but required the intervention from Klopp and those in attendance for
it all to fall into place.
Man of the match:
Jürgen Klopp – recognised the atmosphere had fallen flat stoked the crowed to
fever pitch to drive his side over the line.
They say it’s up to the players once they get over the white line, but
the manager proved he can have an influence.
The injury to Coutinho may well be a problem for the foreseeable
future, but here hastened a change in formation allowing Liverpool to become
more direct against a defence squeezing the front three and man marking
Coutinho. It showed the counter-pressing
game is not the only way to win a match and get around stingy defences.
Teams:
Liverpool: 1 Karius, 2 Clyne, 32 Matip, 6 Lovren, 7 Milner,
5 Wijnaldum (Woodburn – 90+2 Mins), 14 Henderson, 23 Can, 19 Mane, 11 Firmino
(Lucas – 87 mins), 10 Coutinho (Origi – 34 mins)
Subs: 17 Klavan, 18 Moreno, 21 Lucas, 22 Mignolet, 27 Origi,
53 Ejaria, 58 Woodburn
Sunderland: 13 Pickford, 2 Jones, 23 Kone, 16 O’Shea, 3 van
Aanholt, 4 Denayer, 17 Ndong, 20 Pienaar (Gooch – 79 mins), 14 Watmore (Januzaj
– 79 mins), 18 Defoe, 28 Anichebe
Subsitutes: 1 Mannone, 7 Larsson, 10 Khazri, 21 Manquillo,
22 Love, 44 Januzaj, 46 Gooch
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 53, 114
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