Liverpool turn up the heat on rivals
Edited by Dave Devereux. email: devereuxdave@yahoo.ie
WHEN I scurried up the driveway to put the bin out this morning, I was greeted by a chill wind with more bite than Dracula that would almost lift the skin off your face.
It seems frosty winter has arrived in earnest, so I may dig into the dusty depths of the wardrobe and start enveloping myself into more layers than a large onion.
There’s one cock-a-hoop section of society that won’t be feeling the elements quite as severely at present though, and they could probably go about their outdoor routine with nothing more than a string vest protecting their torso from the bitter breeze due to a warm glow inside.
Who could I possibly be talking about? Why, previously long-suffering Liverpool fans, of course.
On Sunday, they announced themselves as firm title favourites, with their pace, intensity, passion and clinical finishing too hot for Manchester City to handle.
The Reds had already looked like champions in waiting coming into this massive clash, but at the weekend they made a real statement of their intent and took a massive step towards ending their long wait for the Holy Grail.
The game probably came at the perfect time for Liverpool after they’ve built up a head of steam in the early part of the season.
It hasn’t always been free-flowing as they’ve had to grind out results in recent weeks, but it’s clear that Jurgen Klopp has the players in the perfect place right now and they’re in an almost zenlike state, where they’ve forgotten how to lose. When they’re at their best they are pretty much an unstoppable force, and the speed of how they shift through the gears and their transition from defence to attack is truly frightening for their opponents.
Against Man City they again showed their ability to score on the counter in devastating bursts, while after taking control of the match, their composed game management had to be admired.
When Salah, Mané and Firmino are in full flow it’s close to impossible to stop them, while in Sunday’s showdown Georginio Wijnaldum, the imperious Fabinho, and the often-maligned Jordan Henderson, clearly won the midfield battle.
Dejan Lovren defended admirably well alongside Virgil van Dijk in front of the rock-solid Alisson, and the Liverpool full-backs are as good as you’ll find in that position, providing a constant potent attacking threat.
Maybe I’m getting carried away, but I just can’t see any way they can lose this title race. They’re doing exactly what United used to do in their pomp – winning in every way possible, whether it be conjuring up a late winner or turning it on in swashbuckling style.
This unwavering self-belief and resilience to survive a storm hasn’t happened overnight; their unbelievable run of form spans back to last season as well. Some would have you believe that they somehow bottled it last term, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
They may have held a healthy advantage last Christmas, but it was a remarkable winning run from Manchester City, rather than a capitulation from Liverpool, that tilted the race in favour of Pep Guardiola’s men.
You know a team is doing well and is getting under people’s skin when opposition supporters are howling that they’re getting everything from officials.
When Man United were winning all before them, the feeling for many was that most of the 50-50 calls were going in their favour, and supporters have the same suspicion about Liverpool now.
They may have got the rub of the green in terms of VAR decisions in their clash with the champions on Sunday, or maybe more accurately the lack of them, but there’s not a club in the top flight that hasn’t benefited from, or been harshly treated by, the frustrating technology this season.
Either way, Liverpool supporters won’t give a damn about the sour grapes of others if they can get their hands on that long-awaited title.
The fight for the top four places already looks done and dusted as well. You’d have to assume that, despite a few early season blips, Man City are a certainty to finish in the top two, while Chelsea and Leicester look head and shoulders above the rest of the also-rans at present.
Chelsea are playing some beautiful football and strangely have become quite likeable under Frank Lampard, something which I couldn’t have thought possible when the scowling Mourinho was in charge, with the likes of John Terry and Diego Costa carrying out his orders.
Brendan Rodgers too has Leicester firing on all cylinders, and with Jamie Vardy in free-scoring form and his supporting cast delivering week in and week out, they look like continuing their wonderful start to the campaign.
Turning attentions back to the main prize, this surely will be the season that Liverpool finally come in from the cold to warm the cockles of their supporters’ hearts with the Premier League crown.