‘Play brilliantly for 95 minutes!’
Ten-man Hull brushed aside but the win is not enough for Klopp as he tells team...
SO we are still no nearer to knowing whether Loris Karius is ready for the Premier League. After a week debating who should stand between the posts, it was obvious after this demolition that Jurgen Klopp could have played no goalkeeper and the result would have been the same.
Liverpool were in control from the first kick to the last whistle. They performed with such verve and swagger that the pre-match chatter about whether Simon Mignolet had been harshly treated had been replaced by a debate over what they might accomplish this season.
This had been viewed as a test, the kind of fixture that has traditionally tripped Liverpool up. Hull drew 0-0 the last time they visited Anfield in the autumn of 2014, but this time they were swamped by a Red tide.
By the end, Liverpool had scored five times but had it not been for a redoubtable performance from Hull keeper David Marshall, they would have doubled their tally. Had they taken their tally to six, seven or eight, it would not have flattered.
Admittedly, their task was made easier when Ahmed Elmohamady was sent-off in the 28th minute for deliberately handling Philippe Coutinho’s goal-bound shot but even when Hull had a full complement of players the traffic moved in only one direction.
‘Liverpool are flying,’ Mike Phelan, Hull’s caretaker manager, observed. ‘They have a good mentality and a work rate that is up there with the best. They look a very good team and their supporters are expressing a desire that they want to achieve something. It would have been difficult for anyone.’
Klopp made the point in his programme notes that, having beaten the reigning champions and one of their most bitter rivals in their last two matches, Liverpool were ‘in a good way’ but he was conscious that complacency might seep into the stadium and implored fans to make a difference. As it was, he had no such worries. Joel Matip was the first to signal Liverpool’s intentions, the defender heading James Milner’s corner over in the fifth minute. Another chance went begging in the next attack when Coutinho hesitated when the goal was gaping. No matter. They had stated their intentions.
Soon they would have the lead. Adam Lallana is in the best form of his Liverpool career and it was appropriate he opened the scoring, drifting into the area and smashing a drive into the bottom corner after Coutinho had swapped passes with the excellent Milner.
Hull’s threat was non-existent and Karius was so eager to get involved with the action, he spent the first half playing as a ‘sweeper keeper’ constantly looking to get on the ball. He could not have wished for a more genteel introduction to this competition. The outcome of the game was then put beyond doubt in the 30th minute when a flying move ended with Coutinho’s shot being parried on the line by Elmohamady. Referee Andre Marriner had no option but to brandish a red card and Milner rifled in the resultant penalty.
‘I’ve no qualms about the decision,’ Phelan said. ‘I don’t think we can excuse ourselves because of what happened. The rules are there.’
Phelan attempted to shuffle his pack, bringing on David Meyler to stem the tide, but Liverpool were rampant.
Sadio Mane hit the bar and saw another shot miss by inches before he grabbed the third, wriggling free from a posse of defenders to thrash in Roberto Firmino’s pass.
To their credit, Hull came out swinging in the second half and Meyler restored some pride — ruining Karius’ hopes of a clean sheet — when drilling in a loose ball from a corner but their joy was instantly snuffed as Liverpool went straight up the field and Coutinho curled in an exquisite 25-yard drive.
This was the fourth time in eight competitive games this year Liverpool had scored four goals but still they were not done. The rout was completed when Milner converted his second penalty, awarded after substitute Daniel Sturridge had been tripped by Andrew Robertson.
Phelan was given something to smile about, when Hull’s fans sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him, and he shared a laugh with Klopp at the end but there was no prizes for guessing which manager was most content.
‘The first half was brilliant, that is how football should be,’ said Klopp. ‘But we have a lot of improvement. If you are brilliant in the first half, you want to be brilliant for 95 minutes. We were good, but not as good as we could be.’