Klopp takes Route 66 to the top four
Jurgen Klopp bearhugged his assistant Zeljko Buvac. James Milner and emre Can collapsed to the floor. liverpool supporters roared like silverware was won.
It was not the Borussia Dortmund-style salute that Klopp used to celebrate his side’s 2-2 draw against West Brom in December 2015 but this result against the same opposition was even more worthy of significant recognition.
A first liverpool victory at the Hawthorns since 2011 was hardfought and slender — and brings a place in next season’s Champions league closer into view.
Klopp’s team moved to 66 points and, although teams below have games in hand, you would rather have points in the bag at this stage. With a remaining fixture list that includes Crystal palace, Watford, Southampton, West Ham and Middlesbrough, the top-four finish this club craves is tantalisingly close. The character of this win fuels that belief and the decisive goal came on the stroke of half-time in ironic manner. Tony pulis’s set-piece specialists were undone by a dead ball. Awarded a free-kick when Chris Brunt pulled back Divock origi, Milner’s delivery initially appeared too shallow. But lucas produced a moment of alchemy by flicking the ball on astutely and finding roberto Firmino six yards out.
Having escaped the attentions of Craig Dawson, Firmino applied the simplest of headed finishes for his 11th premier league goal of the campaign, one more than he managed last season.
After his match-winning contribution off the bench at Stoke last weekend, here was another moment to laud Firmino’s value in Sadio Mane’s absence.
For long periods it appeared that the loss of Mane’s speed combined with West Brom’s application to defence, which meant a back six when out of possession, would frustrate liverpool.
even when 1-0 up in added time, Klopp admitted he could not rest because of West Brom’s desire to equalise. More than once Ben Foster strode forward and stayed up to cause chaos. That should have led to a second liverpool goal to take the tension out of the closing minutes.
Alberto Moreno dispossessed James McClean to run into West Brom territory with Foster stranded upfield. Moreno had three liverpool players in support but struck for home 40 yards out. It was the selfish and the ball trickled wide. Klopp absolved his player but, had West Brom found a late leveller, the german would not have been so generous.
‘We are very happy, 66 is a wonderful number for the next six or seven days. And then we want to move on to 69,’ said Klopp.
‘I thought that the boys, in a really difficult game, did really well. It is one of the most difficult places to go because you can’t feel comfortable in one moment of the game.
‘Somebody asked which scoreline would have kept me a little calmer in the last few minutes, and I said: “only 4-0 after 86 minutes”.’