SO EASY DOES IT FOR KLOPP
Liverpool stroll on and star Salah is fresh for United
SAY what you want about Jurgen Klopp but he simply does not do convention. What other manager would have risked his team’s crown jewel in a game of no consequence?
Liverpool versus Porto was never going to be the club’s biggest collision in March. No, that label is attached to Saturday at Old Trafford and the shootout most likely to determine which Reds will finish best of the rest.
Here was an opportunity, then, for Klopp to give Mohamed Salah the night off and a chance to rest his legs; get him ripe to run at Manchester United’s defence, never mind running at a Porto team resigned to elimination from the Champions League.
All seemed to be going to plan. Salah was the on bench and for 74 minutes, he had been a spectator. But then Klopp turned to his right and invited his No 11 into the action.
Fortunately for Klopp, in a game of little drama, Salah never saw too much of the ball and all attention can now be turned to the High Noon meeting in Manchester.
Last night’s teams were much changed from the first meeting and the standout selection from the visitors was their decision to give Iker Casillas what, potentially, could be his final Champions League appearance in what has been a remarkable career decorated with 21 trophies Casillas will leave Porto when his contract expires in the summer and, given that he will be 37 in May, it remains to be seen whether another elite club will offer an opportunity. If this was to be the end, he wanted one final clean sheet. Liverpool’s 5-0 advantage from the first meeting, however, meant this could not be the kind of game you associate with Anfield on European night, when the stadium hums with noise and expectation. It was a box-ticking exercise, the tie having been decided in a torrent of goals in Portugal. You could tell that by looking at Klopp. His programme notes anticipated that Liverpool, the Champions League’s highest scorers so far, would attack when he wrote ‘we cannot ease off the accelerator even for one second.’
There was no windmill-like waving of his arms, no screeching, no sign of the piercing dog-whistle that he deploys when he wants his team to get back into position. He has been more animated in pre-season contests than he was on the touchline here. The opening half resembled the initial exchanges of boxing match when neither fighter wants to get hurt, bobbing and weaving, but never threatening to throw a meaningful blow.
Belatedly, Liverpool began to find some rhythm and purpose. The first clear sight of goal arrived in the 17th minute when Joe Gomez scampered down the right. His cross, while too high for Roberto Firmino, was met by Sadio Mane but his acrobatic effort whizzed over the bar. You anticipated that Liverpool would step up a gear and begin to hem Porto in but that anticipation was misplaced.
The home side only threatened twice more before the interval — Mane striking the base of the post with a drive and Dejan Lovren heading over from six yards.
Come half-time, the main question was now how long Firmino and Mane would be allowed to continue when there was a chance to give them rest, too. Klopp,
though, was in no hurry to give his stars a breather despite the match ambling towards an inevitable conclusion.
Firmino was in no rush to come off, either, given that he is one goal away from equalling the club record for most goals by one player in a European campaign.
There was one chance to draw alongside Dean Saunders, whose haul of nine came in the 1991-92 UEFA Cup. But Firmino’s attempt was blocked in the 59th minute by the outstretched leg of Porto captain Felipe.
Klopp decided at that point to end Firmino’s evening. Henderson could also have made an early exit for his heavy tackle on Jesus Corona but referee Felix Zwayer showed only a yellow card.
Danny Ings did his best to score but Casillas stood firm and earned his ovation at the end. For Liverpool, bigger tests await.