Klopp’s back-up boys come good again
Liverpool manager heaps praise on Milner and Keita for doing the donkey work ahead of massive week
WHEN the final whistle eventually came, the embraces from Jurgen Klopp were that much more intense than usual. Jordan Henderson and James Milner were clasped a little longer and tighter than normal.
Sadio Mane was next in line to be held and then on to the pitch Klopp strode, where he threw his arms around Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, smiling that broad grin that spoke of three points taken. He lauded Andy Robertson. Then, there was a special moment for Naby Keita — goalscorer and exceptional here.
There was a wave for the Liverpool fans up in the heavens of the towering stands and with that it was back to the dressing room to check on the Villarreal score — semi-final opponents in the Champions League this week.
Was it joy or relief? Hard to say at this stage of the season when the fixtures come and go so quickly and that unprecedented quadruple remains a possibility. This time next week they could be in the Champions League final for the third time in five years. Of course there was a Liverpool side that once won three in five years. But then again, that was when we were approaching the peak of this club’s great history. And yet this team look their equal in everything except trophies won.
That late Seventies and early Eighties team collected league titles year in, year out. But they didn’t have Manchester City or Pep Guardiola to contend with, though Forest and Brian Clough weren’t bad.
Nevertheless, it feels as though this era, superb though it has been, should have more than the one league title with which to define it. Here, they played their part and kept up the pace with City. When you studied Liverpool’s fixtures, coming to a revitalised St James’s Park, where the hosts had won six successive games, looked the biggest hurdle of all.
‘It was incredibly difficult for the boys,’ said Klopp. ‘We played two and a half days ago and coming here, team in form, six home wins on the bounce, great weather, everybody in good mood, everything is prepared for another home win. The only group who wanted to avoid that was my players. It was an outstanding football game and a top-class performance.’
It was. Liverpool, like Man City, are relentless in their excellence. They made five changes here and barely missed a beat. ‘It was cool, eh?’ said Klopp. ‘That is the only reason why we are where we are. The boys buy completely into the situation. The boys that didn’t come on, you should have seen their faces on the final whistle. The group is exceptional.’ They are.
Among them Keita. Milner, at 36, drew most of the praise, but Keita was the dominant force. ‘Milly was outstanding,’ said Klopp. ‘And I don’t want to take anything away from him but I liked Naby’s display, Hendo at No6, that worked really well. The boys were on fire.’
Klopp had played every pass and fought for every tackle on the touchline. At this stage of the season, the tension is unhealthy. He craved that second goal after Keita had deservedly put Liverpool 1-0 up and his team should have scored it. Mane drove wide on 63 minutes when presented with the chance to make this a more relaxed afternoon. Diogo Jota shot straight at the keeper on 73 minutes.
Yet Jota was not culpable on 79 minutes, cutting inside to shoot and force an outstanding save from Martin Dubravka. Likewise, when Mo Salah came on and with his first touch played an exquisite ball for Luis Diaz, it was only Matt Targett’s timely intervention that prevented the Egyptian collecting the return pass and scoring. In the final minute, Salah ran clear of Targett and you sensed that moment of relief was coming, yet he overran his chance and Dubravka tidied up. Tense as it was, if you can bring on Salah, Thiago and Fabinho, you can afford to relax a little.
Overall, Newcastle were both tenacious opponents yet at the same time disappointing. There was the first-half disallowed goal from Miguel Almiron and another offside moment in the second half, when Bruno Guimaraes broke through and Alisson was equal to him, outstanding in denying him. Yet it wouldn’t have mattered. The flag was raised. Liverpool’s high
line had caught them again and the truth is that Newcastle never really found an answer to that. They kept Klopp tense until the end without really threatening.
‘We were close but not close enough,’ said manager Eddie Howe. ‘We didn’t have the sustained pressure and there wasn’t that moment where you feel we must score, so there’s a lot of work to do to get close to top teams, but we know that. We have improved a lot.’
They have. St James’ Park is like a liberated city, which is ironic given Mohamed bin Salman’s attitudes towards freedom in Saudi Arabia. But it is undeniable that there is an energy and momentum about the place which could yet carry the Toon into the Champions League sooner rather than later.
In the build-up to the goal Milner won the ball from Fabian Schar with what might reasonably be described as a robust challenge.
Yet Schar had mis-controlled, inviting the intervention, and became entangled as he stretched to redeem his mistake.