Solanke could be Reds’ match-winning bargain from old rivals Chelsea
IN A transfer window where the figures have gone haywire, it’s somehow reassuring that Liverpool’s winner was created by a player likely to cost £110million less than Barcelona’s latest bid for Philippe Coutinho.
Teenage forward Dominic Solanke, who left Chelsea to join Liverpool this summer for first-team football, made his contribution only two minutes after coming on as a substitute, setting up Sadio Mane’s finish.
As he was out of contract at Stamford Bridge, Solanke will only cost Liverpool around £4m in compensation. And while Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp is understandably weary of talking about the Coutinho saga, he was only too happy to praise the 19-year-old.
‘We had good moments before then but no one was in the box because Danny (Sturridge), Sadio and Roberto (Firmino) were involved in the build-up,’ said Klopp, whose side have started the Premier League season with four points out of six despite criticism of their defending and lack of buys.
‘When Dom came on, he stood awake and put the foot in. It was great counterpressing and Sadio was alone and he could score.’
With Coutinho missing again with a reported back injury, it was a largely frustrating afternoon at Anfield against a Palace team who had won on their last three visits.
Frank de Boer’s side were set up to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s embarrassing 3-0 home defeat to Huddersfield and when goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made saves from James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Firmino, it looked as if they might hold out for their first point this term.
Sturridge, in his first game of the season after his latest ailment, a thigh strain, made way for record signing Mo Salah after an hour — and 11 minutes later Klopp took the gamble of throwing on Solanke for a midfielder, Georginio Wijnaldum.
The general increase in Liverpool’s urgency worked and Mane’s closerange strike was his 15th in 29 Premier League games since moving from Southampton.
The margin of victory could have been even greater with Scotland international leftback Andy Robertson almost capping an impressive Liverpool debut with a longranger that Hennessey tipped away in spectacular fashion.
But although Palace broke forward rarely, they did miss a couple of corking chances. First, skipper Jason Puncheon was denied by Simon Mignolet and then former Reds striker Christian Benteke shot over from four yards. ‘The chances we got, we had to punish them,’ said de Boer.