As Roberto Firmino powerfully headed past a helpless Dean Henderson, Jurgen Klopp’s trademark fist pump and gigantic roar pierced the Old Trafford air. The German’s excitement mixed with anger and raw passion as his team strutted off the pitch 2-1 ahead at half-time.
45 minutes, a spirited Manchester United fightback, plenty of lousy-Sunday league worthy defending and a crucial Liverpool win later and Klopp’s team had demonstrated a brief example of why they were crowned back-to-back league winners, by some, in mid-November.
This wasn’t the same Liverpool team that took over the reigns of Europe’s elite and made a mockery of a Covid-19 stricken Premier League, but it was a sign that the Merseysider’s aren’t here to give up.
Plucky Liverpool pile Premier League pressure on
No doubt spurred on by Chelsea’s timely but also completely predictable seasonal defeat to Arsenal the night before, Liverpool’s victory has put a metaphoric cat amongst some nervous and jittery London pigeons.
The gap to Chelsea in fourth is now four points, the Red’s game in hand could see them sneak up on the two FA Cup finalists and cut that to a solitary point this weekend.
As one of Chelsea or Leicester City wake up on Sunday morning disappointed at coming out second best at Wembley, their stomachs could start to fill with anxiety as attention turns to the Hawthorns where Liverpool could make a statement.
The Reds have arguably the easiest run in, the Baggies are up first before a trip to face Sean Dyche’s torrid Burnley in front of a reduced Turf Moor faithful and ending off in front of the Kop and former boss Roy Hodgson.
It’s impossible to predict how the season may finish, David Moyes won’t be counting his side out just yet either, despite the stern face he puts on in public.
All we know is Liverpool’s win here was less about the history of the fixture and more about the future of a club bound to Europe’s best club competition by history.
Maguire misery for mutilated Manchester United defence
Harry Maguire’s absence for this game in particular was almost poetic in it’s timing. United have shipped six goals in a week at Old Trafford, losing more games at the ground in the past three days than they did during the entirety of many a season.
The phrase is that you’re always a better player when you’re not playing, often that does ring true. Perhaps these two games alone though are reason to believe that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s defensive problems run deeper than their captain.
The notion that Maguire is too slow for a team like United, despite them often looking to play counter-attacking football ‘the United way’ looks comical now. The Yorkshireman is their leader.
This game won’t have done anything to settle an argument that Liverpool fans cling too, that losing Virgil Van Dijk derailed their season. They will receive little sympathy from their great foes, but United’s struggles without Maguire will act as perspective.
Southgate struggles in selection
Looking past the laughable instability of United’s defence last night, there will be panic from England fans as well. Southgate was there to witness the greatest rivalry in English football last night, although the focus towards the game was of pure selfishness from both sides and little to do with history.
Manchester United’s drop off in quality from Maguire to Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailley is staggering for a side sitting second in the league, comfortably at that. With Eric Dier, Conor Coady, Tyrone Mings and Michael Keane all huge outsiders that wouldn’t fit the standard at United, John Stones could end up stranded as a lone centre back for England, arguably the only fit one that can be labelled ‘decent’.
Gary Neville said on Monday Night Football earlier this week that in the absence of the Red Devils keystone centre half, Southgate could have his forced, with five at the back the only card he’s holding.
There are options for the national team: Mings, Kyle Walker and arguably Stones all look solid in a back five but it takes away the so desired attacking line-up that fans want. The question will be if the pay-off of having an extra Phil Foden or Jadon Sancho can make up for the frailties that a Stones-anyone partnership might bring.
Glazers gaze at Old Trafford gates
Is it a top six match anymore if there isn’t some sort of protest, picket or at least a pyro thrown before kick-off? Surely even the isolated Glazer family in their make-believe world of money, cash and dollar can’t ignore what is happening on their doorstep?
Once again United fans voiced their anger towards the hierarchy that has shockingly seen the club finish in the top three for two years, what a drop off…In all seriousness, these protests won’t be stopping anytime soon.
The Liverpool team bus was halted before the game along with the early movement of the home players from their hotel. This outburst from disgruntled fans who couldn’t wait one week longer to show their displeasure at a game will come as another reminder that the beautiful game is for fans.
Tremendous Trent
The only protest taking place on the pitch was from a young man who was likely all too aware of the England boss watching on in the empty stands. Southgate might have had his mask on, but the managers eyes will have burnt into Trent Alexander-Arnold’s head as he took every step on the Old Trafford turf.
Although Liverpool conceded two, not exactly a massive victory for a defensive player, the right-backs performance shone on a side full of nervous Liverpool players, all too aware of the connotations of this match.
The 22-year old was mocking others with his Beckham-like cross field bullets, confident dribbling and typically fearless positioning.
On a day that encapsulated all that the Premier League is about, and a match that will build up the return of fans, Alexander-Arnold’s enigmatic flair from right-back possessed all the fizz and excitement that too many lockdown matches have missed.
Southgate will have to have been watching Aston Villa Vs Everton highlights to have missed this display, though his mind might have been taken up by wondering how to fit the attacking presence of Alexander-Arnold into a defence that could be without Maguire.