Klopp’s fighters perform like champions
MAKE no mistake, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team are players in the Premier League title race. Big players.
And it is not just their captivating attacking style of play, their pinpoint passing or their relentless pressing that makes them strong contenders. This Liverpool team are resilient.
Twice they were pegged back by Alan Pardew’s dogged Crystal Palace side — and both times they dusted themselves down to re-assert their authority.
Such a quality is surely the sign of champions. Their doubters will point to two more glaring defensive blunders, but with a scintillating attack as potent as this, who needs a defence?
Liverpool’s inevitable opener came when Emre Can slotted home from 12 yards after Alberto Moreno’s pass.
But then Dejan Lovren gifted Palace an unexpected equaliser. His mistimed attempted clearance left Loris Karius exposed and James McArthur headed past the on-rushing keeper.
Yet the Croatian quickly atoned by heading Philippe Coutinho’s corner kick past Steve Mandanda.
However, more poor Liverpool defending handed Palace a second equaliser.
Christian Benteke’s header on the edge of his own box eventually found its way to Wilfried Zaha, who whipped a cross into the box.
It was a straight aerial duel between Lovren and McArthur but it was the Palace midfielder who emerged victorious, firing a bullet header past Karius.
Liverpool went ahead again just before the break when Coutinho’s corner was nodded home by Joel Matip.
The visitors tied up the three points with 19 minutes remaining as Roberto Firmino coolly lobbed the ball over Mandanda, having latched on to a brilliant defence-splitting pass from Jordan Henderson.
‘It was a deserved win and I’m a very happy man,’ said Klopp. ‘The defensive error we made for the first goal was because we were not at the limit of our concentration.
‘The aggressiveness was not there at the start of the game. But I saw a lot of wonderful things offensively.’
Palace boss Pardew said: ‘We should have put more pressure on Liverpool but they are a good team.’