Ross sends Owls flying to Wembley
RUNNING MAN: Lallana, leaving Fabregas behind, above, and with Klopp, inset, has become a key Liverpool player haven’t shown our best. He’s very structured in what he says.”
One example came with Klopp’s dressing-room speech ahead of the Capital One Cup final in February, which Liverpool lost on penalties to Manchester City. Lallana stepped off the bench and was one of those who erred from 12 yards, but found consolation in the pre-match address.
“I remember it vividly – he said, ‘This will be the first of many finals we will have together’. The way he said it, the words he used, just stuck in my mind,” said Lallana. “You just believed there would be more finals, whether it was this year or next year or whenever.
“Three months later we are in another cup final. It just shows you his confidence and self-belief and that rubs off on the lads, subconsciously or not. Getting to two finals is difficult in the same season. There is no luck in that. Regardless of how many changes the manager makes, you see a Liverpool performance now and think, ‘Yes, that’s a Klopp team’.”
Regaining a sense of identity is no longer enough with Liverpool hungry for more in Basle. “No matter who we play, whether we play Barcelona or whoever, he will make us believe we can win the game,” said Lallana.
And failure is not an option, especially when the manager is also a neighbour, Lallana admitting recently that he lives “bang opposite” his boss. “It is nice actually,” he said. “He has just got a nice family, nice kids, and I see him walking the dogs.
“One time Klopp was taking out the bins, so I put my little boy Arthur on the balcony and he was shouting, ‘Klopp’ and giving it the fist-pump celebration. He just looked at him and gave him a wave.” ROSS WALLACE fired Sheffield Wednesday to within 90 minutes of a place in the Premier League with a first-half goal to leave Brighton suffering even more promotion misery.
Wednesday had finished 15 points and three places behind Chris Hughton’s men – but the Owls will be making their way to Wembley for the richest game in world football.
Boosted by a 2-0 first-leg lead, Carlos Carvalhal’s side held their nerve after Lewis Dunk gave Brighton hope with a 19th-minute opener.
But Wallace’s contentious 28th-minute equaliser – Brighton were convinced Dunk had been fouled as he went to clear – made sure Wednesday would be making a first Wembley appearance since 1993 with the chance to return to the top flight after a 16-year absence.
The combination of a two-goal deficit and the alarming sight of four players being forced out of Friday’s first leg through injury had reinforced the view Brighton’s play-off race was already run.
All four of the crocked players had been expected to sit out this return but the unexpected inclusion of Steve Sidwell and, in particular, Anthony Knockaert, lifted home belief Chris Hughton’s side could yet defy the odds.
The Seagulls got off to a high-powered start with Knockaert a real threat. The French winger was unlucky to see a free-kick bounce clear off the inside of a post after he had been brought down by Glenn Loovens.
Moments later he drew a save from Keiren Westwood with another dead-ball before he sent a close-range header wide when he should have put his side ahead.
‘He doesn’t do passive, he brings out best in you’