THE FLOW Fish ’n chips did Kennedy bags of good
Alisson 6; Milner 7, Matip 6, Van Dijk 6, Robertson 7; Salah 8, Wijnaldum 7 (Alexander-Arnold 77th), Fabinho 7, Keita 7, Mane 7 (Origi 87th); Firmino 7 (Sturridge 90th)
TITLE challenger Pep Guardiola may have opened eyes with his technicolour jumper but Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp showed he’s no sweater.
Twenty-four hours after the Manchester City boss appeared in his striped fashion statement, Klopp kept his cool when two successive draws had questioned whether his side were suffering a mini-meltdown.
The German had told Liverpool fans to fasten their seat belts but there was nothing harum scarum in this comfortable victory which put them back at the top of the Premier League.
Sadio Mane put them on their way with a suspiciously offside opener – the first time he has scored in four Premier League games in a row.
Gini Wijnaldum got up from his sick bed to notch an unbelievable second, only topped in brilliance by Mo Salah scoring his 49th goal in 62 league matches.
Delighted Klopp said: “Mo was pretty much undefendable. The performance was brilliant but all the game was good. And all the goals were brilliant. A very deserved three points.
“We are very self-critical and were not happy with the two performances. We wanted to play convincing football and that was the reaction we wanted.”
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe said: “The first goal was a huge moment in the match. It’s clearly offside. And the second goal was self-inflicted.”
Klopp had paid tribute before the game to Liverpool’s extra man, the faithful fans, for their unwavering devotion and support.
So much so that he admitted he would love to shake every one of the
Boruc 7; Smith 6, Cook 6, Ake 6, Rico 6 (Mepham 80th); Ibe 6 (Solanke (59th) 6), Gosling 6, Lerma 6 (Mousset (73rd) 6), Surman 6, Fraser 7; King 7 50,000 by the hand in a heartfelt show of appreciation.
But even his admiring public must have held their breath with just two minutes on the clock when Bournemouth almost took a shock lead.
Ryan Fraser popped up from nowhere on the left and rattled in a low shot which produced a great save from Alisson.
The scare spurred Liverpool into life and Roberto Firmino’s touch was blocked by keeper Artur Boruc who stood strong. Seconds later, Salah had a crack with a shot deflected into the Pole’s arms.
Then came the 24th-minute opener. James Milner swung in a dangerous cross and Mane stepped offside before heading down and in with Bournemouth waiting for a flag.
Ten minutes later, Liverpool stormed into a two-goal lead – and there was no doubting the validity of this one.
Andy Robertson pinged a pass out to Wijnaldum who controlled and then delicately chipped Boruc to finish off brilliantly.
And on the stroke of half-time, Salah appeared from nowhere and in a flash tried his luck with Boruc needing to be at his best to save.
Liverpool went 3-0 up three minutes into the second half with a move of magnificence.
Naby Keita began it with a swerving pass to Firmino delivered with the outside of his boot. Firmino, in a flash, nudged the ball back into Salah’s pass and the Egyptian swept his shot into the bottom corner.
The fourth looked on the cards in the 56th minute when Mane was left with a free header but he powered it wide. Mo Salah A Taylor Bayern Munich (H), Feb 19 Wolves (H), Feb 23 There was no doubt that the famous massed ranks of supporters expected more net bulging but their heroes took their foot off the gas in the closing 20 minutes.
Salah, though, had another go in the 76th minute with a shot which rattled the bar.
But it was Bournemouth who showed more endeavour with substitute Lys Mousset rocketing in a belter which the largely untroubled Alisson touched away for a corner.
Firmino wasted a golden chance with three minutes left when he found himself clear and on a one-to-one with Boruc but saw his effort saved.
And substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a similar fate late on with
Liverpool content with their comfortable margin of victory. LIVERPOOL legend Alan Kennedy has revealed to the Daily Star Sunday the recipe for the Reds’ success back in the 1970s and
1980s – bags of fish and chips. Kennedy smiles when he recalls how manager Bob Paisley ordered the salt and vinegar treats after away games in the North East.
Paisley had often visited a fish and chip shop where Kennedy’s mum worked in their home town of Sunderland and didn’t see anything wrong with his players tucking in on the way home.
He would send assistant Ronnie Moran to the local fish bar to buy loads for the coach trip back.
Although Kennedy (below) does admit that Jan Molby, when presented with his first bag, turned his nose up and asked where the nutritional value was!
The fry-ups certainly didn’t do Liverpool any harm with left-back Kennedy himself gorging on two European Cups, five League titles and four League Cups.
He said: “Yes, my mum worked in a fish and chip shop – one where Bob Paisley used to go when he lived in the North East. “There was that character in one of the comics, Alf Tupper, who was a runner and all he ate was fish and chips. Maybe, that’s my secret. “We used to have fish and chips on the way home whenever we played at Newcastle. Ronnie Moran would be ordered to buy them.
“When Jan Molby joined he couldn’t believe the first time he saw this. ‘Where is the nutrition in that?’ he said.
“He was just told to get on with it and eat the fish and chips.
“We ended up eating and drinking and doing everything together. It was like one big happy family with Bob Paisley at the helm telling us what to do.
“How we won anything in the
1980s I’ll never know because we really enjoyed ourselves off the pitch.
“Maybe that was the secret of our success – the camaraderie.
“It was as important in many ways what we did off the pitch as it was on it. But I’m also lucky that I can eat and drink and not put any weight on.
“I just love playing football. It’s always been the most important thing for me. I live and breathe football. It has been my career. It’s been my life since I was three.
“I’m now 64 and I’m still kicking a ball. I’m looking forward now to playing for the Liverpool Legends against AC Milan next month at Anfield – and I play walking football twice a week.”
STEVE MILLAR