Newcastle United 0 Liverpool 1
Utterly forgettable, but an utterly priceless 3 points
Utterly forgettable, but an utterly priceless 3 points
I was worried ahead of today’s clash with the “Magpies” of Newcastle United and this had nothing to do whatsoever with the umpteen changes made to the starting XI by Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp. Eddie Howe has turned around a sinking ship by harnessing the speed and tenacity of French striker Allan Saint-Maximin, the muscular presence of Brazilian midfielder Joelinton and with the addition of his countryman and playmaker Bruno Guimaraes, I feared Newcastle United would give the Mighty Reds of Liverpool a real and tangibly difficult game today. Skippered by ex Liverpool Red Jonjo Shelvey, he of the ability to drive his team forward and the uncanny way he has of starting footballing fights in empty houses and seeing his fair share of Referee’s red cards, I feared that with nothing to lose, Newcastle would throw everything at the Reds today, giving them perhaps one of their trickiest games in the run in of this spectacular, unprecedented season.
That they didn’t was a testimony to how Jurgen Klopp’s Reds simply didn’t allow them any space in which to play, and when there was a shard of light for the hosts, Bruno Guimaraes scuffed his only first-half chance well wide before finally bringing the one and only vital save from his fellow countryman in the Liverpool goal, Alisson Becker. This relatively simple save was on 87 minutes and in truth the only real work the Reds goalkeeping custodian had to do in the entire game. Skipper Shelvey was quiet and ineffective , Joelinton anonymous and Allan Saint-Maximin nowhere near the defence destroyer previously seen.
Why can be explained with ghosts of the past from both teams, and a master conductor par excellence of the present, and the footballing future. Klopp set up his team today ala a Rafael Benitez team of days past, and when manager of both of these fine footballing teams. Benitez’s watchword was “compact”. He would cup his hands together akin to coconut shells, squeezing them toward each other. Be close. Be compact. Deny space. It was here in spades today, as was the experience of James Milner and Jordan Henderson scurrying around, closing the gaps and spaces, tightening the noose around the game they played at their experienced pace. The Reds invited Newcastle to be more expansive and venture further forward, but as soon as the trap was set, van Dijk, Matip, Gomez and Robertson joined Milner and Henderson in hounding an error and with 1/2/3 quick passes, a third of the playing area was suddenly the Reds sole playground. When in possession, Liverpool dictated the how, when, why and who and now with the ball, they sucked Newcastle onto them, rotating possession at their pace. Always a red shirt.
Pass. Pass. Pass.
And that brings us nicely onto today’s “Man of the Match” and only just ahead of the mercurial Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson’s lung bursting runs forward and Diogo Jota’s pest of a buzzing performance up front. Naby Keita was everywhere today. He’ll get the plaudits for his coolly taken goal, but do not discount the tackles, the chasing back, hustling, pushing and incessant pressing whenever he was out of possession or on the periphery of the game.
We could note the chances Diogo Jota had, and the saves he forced from the Newcastle United goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka. The Magpies keeper was also called into action to deny a worthy goal or two for the performance of Luis Diaz. This would account for five chances alone. We could also marvel at the two delicious chipped passes from James Milner that released Diogo Jota through on the Newcastle goal (and that tackle that led to the only goal of the game), or Virgil van Dijk’s dismissive air akin to swatting away a pest that’s disturbing his inner calm and tranquillity, surrounded though he may be by over 50,000 in the cauldron of humanity otherwise known as St James’ Park.
This was an utterly and instantly forgettable game, and a priceless 3 points that, at the time of writing, returns the Reds to the summit of English football.
Bigger tests to come.
Thanks for reading. My 3 previously published articles on Liverpool FC are linked below and you’ll find a multitude of further articles within my archives:
Liverpool 2 Villarreal 0
90 minutes from a European Cup Final as the Reds break down the Yellow Submarines Yellow Brick Wall.medium.com
Liverpool 2 Everton 0
Divock Origi to the rescue as the Reds continue to relentlessly chase Manchester City for the League Titlemedium.com
Liverpool 4 Manchester United 0
Yet another perfect half of football and the Reds are back on top of the most important perch of all.medium.com