Mac Allister conjures a ‘Gerrard moment’
Alexis Mac Allister has become the talisman of Jurgen Klopp’s title bid at Liverpool, his match winning screamer against Sheffield United ensuring their latest fright night ended in boisterous celebration.
Whether the Premier League season ends in championship glory or glorious failure, Liverpool are contriving to turn every matchday into an epic, even fixtures against those destined for relegation designed to create a memorable anecdote in the chapter of Klopp’s farewell as manager.
Liverpool have now registered 26 goals from the 76th minute onwards – just two fewer than Sheffield United have struck all season.
Title contenders can usually point to one season-defining game when they flirted with melancholy only to emerge triumphant. Liverpool seem to have been specialising in it since August, from the late steal at Newcastle United, unlikely comeback Anfield victory over Fulham in December and 99th-minute winner at Nottingham Forest last month.
Luton Town recently caused a scare here. So did Burnley. Nothing is easy at this stage of the season, those arriving at Anfield optimistically believing it would be an evening to reduce the goal difference to Arsenal reduced to outrageous arrogance.
“I would prefer to be 5-0 up,” Klopp said. “As a manager you take it as you get it.”
As against his former club Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend, Mac Allister was the inspiration, finding the top corner in a style reminiscent of then Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard against Olympiakos 20 years ago.
You could be forgiven for thinking Liverpool are on a mission to shred nerves to maximise the dramatic impact of their manager’s long goodbye. What began looking like it would be a serene evening after Darwin Nunez’s freak opener turned into an ordeal, Conor Bradley’s second half own goal ensuring Liverpool were hunting a winner until the 76th minute when Mac Allister intervened.
Substitute Cody Gakpo added a third in the 90th minute to ensure only injury time could be played amid a sense of security.
The win restores Liverpool’s two-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, with defending champions Manchester City a point further back.
There was even more drama in London where Chelsea beat Manchester United 4-3 in a tumultuous match in London.
Cheslea led 2-0 after only 19 minutes but appeared destined to defeat when United fought back to lead 3-2, with only the last vestiges of injury time to be played. However, Cole Palmer scored with a penalty (his second of the game) in the 100th minute and got the winner via a deflected shot barely a minute later amid barely believable delight at Stamford Bridge. - Telegraph Group