N’Diaye destroys Reds’ title hopes
HULL CITY 2 N’Diaye (44), Niasse (84) LIVERPOOL 0
LIVERPOOL’s awful January is threatening to turn into a full-on New Year depression as they suffered another miserable afternoon.
It is now one win in nine games for Jurgen Klopp’s men as they were deservedly beaten by a Hull side who were stronger, better organised and defended for their lives.
Hull’s name can now be added to an inglorious list of conquerors in 2017 that also features Swansea, Southampton (twic) and Wolves. Having gone out of two Cup competitions and fallen 13 points behind Chelsea in the League, Liverpool’s place in the top four is now under serious threat.
Klopp still believes that a Champions League place would represent a good achievement, but he knows his players have to buck up their ideas, and fast.
“We have to take all the criticism,” he said. “We expect more from ourselves and we have to show more than we did today. It is my responsibility to make it possible for the players to show more. My biggest problem is that I want us to play much better football.
“The Champions League is an outstanding, big, big, target and so many teams want to be there. Now we have to show that we are really ready to give everything. I can say it, but we have to show it together. We have to change it immediately.”
No club was busier in January than Hull as new manager Marco Silva brought in seven players of six different nationalities to bolster his squad. Three of those, Alfred N’Diaye, Kamil Grosicki and Andrea Ranocchia, were handed their debuts and his hastily-assembled team did him proud.
It’s now seven points from four games since Silva’s arrival, including this win and a midweek draw at Manchester United. And the Portuguese can sense growing belief that the Tigers can escape what looked to be certain relegation.
“When I came, the atmosphere was not the best,” he admitted. “The squad were in the last place in the table. Many people didn’t believe. The first match, I didn’t see our supporters in the stadium. Today, the atmosphere was fantastic.
“If I believe, I want my players, the supporters and everyone working within the club to believe.”
The Reds dominated possession straight from the off, but did not create much. Their best chance of the first half came when Eldin Jakupovic flapped at Roberto Firmino’s cross, but the goalkeeper recovered sufficiently to get a touch on Philippe Coutinho’s follow-up as the Brazilian looked certain to score.
Hull had hardly broken out of their own half, but they stunned the visitors by going in front on the stroke of half-time.
Grosicki’s corner was met by Harry Maguire’s header and Simon Mignolet could only palm it down under pressure from Abel Hernandez.
With no whistle from the referee and not a single player in red reacting, N’Diaye poked it into the empty net from close range for a debut goal.
It was yet another goalkeeping error for Klopp to ponder as Mignolet and Loris Karius both fail to convince they should be the firstchoice goalkeeper.
The Reds then had to force the issue and Mane was close to an equaliser, only for Jakupovic to just about keep out his looping header.
However, Hernandez had two chances in quick succession to put the game out of Liverpool’s reach, but the Uruguayan couldn’t take either.
Then Coutinho should have levelled at the other end after James Milner’s initial effort had been blocked on the line by Maguire.
Instead of firing home calmly, the Brazilian totally lost his composure and slashed his effort horribly high and wide.
Klopp threw on Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi, but it was a Hull substitute who settled matters.
Ranocchia’s long clearance out of defence released Oumar Niasse, the striker brought in on loan from Everton, and he advanced on goal before slipping it coolly past Mignolet.
And, much to Klopp’s dismay, Hull could celebrate a famous home win over Liverpool – just as Burnley and Bournemouth did earlier in the season.