THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGE OF HIS LIFE
Perfect tackle from Camacho to thwart Zaha in dying seconds is priceless for Klopp
AN hour after the final whistle and Jurgen Klopp was in a small room, trying to make sense of it all, when he was asked one last question.
Suddenly, Liverpool’s manager started celebrating again. It wasn’t with the gusto that he greeted the end of a helter-skelter match but, briefly, here he was with a smile plastered all over his face as he punched the air in delight.
The reason for the impromptu reaction soon became apparent. In a game of so many incidents, it was the perfectly-timed tackle from young substitute Rafa Camacho to thwart Wilfried Zaha that so enthused Klopp. Seasons last for nine months but they can be defined in split seconds.
‘I told him immediately after the game that he had already made the most important challenge of his life,’ said Klopp. ‘I’m not sure he really got it — he looked at me like: “What is he talking about?” but it was really massive.’
To give the situation context, Camacho had been hurried on in the final minute following James Milner’s red card. The 18-year-old Portuguese, a product of Liverpool’s Academy, had never kicked a ball in the Premier League before and, in a high-pressure finale, he found Zaha bearing down on him.
As Zaha danced from side to side in that mesmeric way of his, everyone in the stadium knew the fractional mistiming of a tackle would mean a penalty to Crystal Palace and, in all probability, a 4-4 draw; but Camacho never flinched, his challenge was clean and the ball — and the match — was won.
The incident needed to be emphasised and Klopp’s reaction explained its importance. Liverpool might have had two months of being brilliant but it would be disingenuous to suggest this latest 4-3 triumph was a product of cavalier, breathless football.
There were, of course, some wonderful snapshots. The way Sadio Mane scored what proved to be the defining goal to lift the roof was glorious, while the dinked volley from Mohamed Salah to make it 1-1 was the act of a man at the top of his game.
Salah now has 50 goals in 72 Premier League appearances but he spoilt his afternoon by the ridiculous way he dropped to the floor in the first half as Mamadou Sakho shadowed him; he has won legitimate penalties over the last month but this was stupid. It was a dive, plain and simple.
Was it an act of desperation? Who knows. What can be said with certainty, though, was that Liverpool frequently found it hard going in the opening 45 minutes. Palace, well organised and resilient, caused more problems than any side visiting Anfield this season.
‘I’m very proud of my team’s performance,’ said Roy Hodgson with some justification. ‘I thought it was excellent, defensively and offensively. The work rate and our tactical discipline was second to none. On another occasion, I’d have been the same as I was after we won at Manchester City.’
Yet, somehow, Liverpool found a way to win. The atmosphere was flat in the first half and it bordered on tetchy as Liverpool went in at the break trailing to Andros Townsend’s thumping finish; the collective response to adversity was going to define the remainder of the campaign.
Liverpool will not become champions by simply blitzing teams from now until spring. They are a club that cannot do things the easy way and if they are to get over the line first, there are going to have to be many more snapshots like that of Camacho.
It was a point with which Klopp concurred. Skill and flamboyance won’t be enough to keep Manchester City’s relentless pursuit at bay, it will be moments when those on the fringes step forward to do something remarkable, like Camacho or Divock Origi’s winner against Everton.
‘I know we are a really good football team but that is not enough,’ said Klopp. ‘It is really not enough to be a good or a fantastic or even a world-class football team because we are playing in a competition with a couple of worldclass football teams and hundreds of fantastic football teams.
‘We have to make sure that we just fight in each game like it’s the last game and the boys do that. I’m completely fine with 4-3. I don’t know how many ways there are to win a football game but we had pretty much a few of them already.’
Chances are they are going to
need a few more. You can be certain, though, they are ready for what is coming.
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Alisson 7; Milner 6.5, Matip 6, Van Dijk 7, Robertson 7.5; Fabinho 8 (Lallana 87min), HENDERSON 8.5; Mane 7, Firmino 7, Keita 6 (Shaqiri 72, 6); Salah 7 (Camacho 90+4).
Subs not used: Mignolet, Sturridge, Moreno, Origi. Scorers: Salah 46, 75, Firmino 53, Mane 90+3. Sent off: Milner. Booked: Milner. Manager: Jurgen Klopp 7.5. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1): Speroni 5; WanBissaka 8, Tomkins 7, Sakho 7, Van Aanholt 6; Kouyate 6.5 (Schlupp 75, 6), Milivojevic 7; Townsend 7, McArthur 6.5 (Meyer 81), Zaha 8; Ayew 6 (Wickham 81). Subs not used: Tupper, Benteke, Dann, Kelly. Scorers: Zaha 34, Tomkins 65, Meyer 90+5. Booked: Ayew. Manager: Roy Hodgson 7. Referee: Jon Moss 6. Attendance: 53,171.