KOP SPREE KICKSOFF TITLE PARTY
LIVERPOOL..5 CHELSEA..3
JURGEN KLOPP’S history boys produced fireworks in an epic shoot-out with Chelsea ahead of their title celebrations.
Naby Keita and Trent AlexanderArnold hit two wonder goals while Gini Wijnaldum and Roberto Firmino netted either side of half-time as Liverpool ripped Chelsea apart.
But as fireworks were set off outside Anfield, Frank Lampard’s side launched a fightback, with subs Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic adding to a strike from Olivier Giroud. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s winner ensured the Reds sealed their trophy lift with a win.
Ahead of their first title for 30 years, Klopp’s side received a guard of honour from Chelsea whose win over Manchester City last month ensured the title would go to Anfield.
Keita then opened the scoring with a screamer into the top corner after 22 minutes. Alexander-Arnold smashed an even more spectacular free-kick from 25 yards, seven minutes before the break.
Wijnaldum hit a third two minutes before half-time to leave Chelsea
LIVERPOOL ..... 5 CHELSEA ......... 3
sweating in the race for the top four. But Olivier Giroud grabbed a lifeline for Chelsea in first-half injury time.
Second-half substitute Abraham snatched a second before Pulisic – who had teed him up – followed up with an outstanding strike of his own, 17 minutes from time.
Sub Oxlade-Chamberlain netted Liverpool’s fifth, six minutes from time, to settle the contest.
It had been 30 years and 1155 games since Liverpool last lifted the title trophy here at Anfield and the absence of fans was not going to spoil the occasion.
Well, not completely. This was a celebration, pure and simple. A celebration of the pyrotechnic talent on show, a celebration of the achievements this truly great Reds side have recorded in this recordbreaking season.
And there were plenty of fireworks,
even before that explosive display on the Kop at the end, as Jurgen Klopp’s side delivered on their vow to give those watching at home something to remember this historic night by.
The slight problem was that Chelsea had the same thought, making it an end-to-end goals-fest that had little structure but plenty of drama.
The fans deserved to be here on this night to pay their own tribute, just as a packed Anfield did at the end of what at the time seemed to be another routine, triumphant campaign, the fateful 1989-90 season.
It is a minor irritant that none were here but during a time of real tragedy not one player who joined in those pictures of celebration at the end would ever lose sight of that fact.
And that is the point. The deaths, the tragedies, the horrors that have been inflicted on this city in the intervening period, they are what really matters. Liverpool in the 80s and 90s was torn apart by the cruel ‘managed-decline’ neglect of a Tory government. Their people were attacked, vilified by the establishment.
Back in 1990 Kenny Dalglish and his team, provided a flicker of comfort to the families who suffered so badly.
The Hillsborough families, yes, but all the families who suffered those years.
Now after more Government neglect, more unnecessary deaths, the nation suffers again and Liverpool suffers.
This time, the fans weren’t here for a night where they could lose themselves, but their team still did them proud. And the fireworks that went off long before the end told that story. The influence of those who normally fill Anfield surely has something to do with the champs’ remarkable home record.
They did not fill it when the first title in 30 years was formally marked by the trophy lift, instead they sang in the road behind the Kop. Should they have been there? Probably not. Could you blame them? No. After all, This Is Anfield.