SALAH AND SHAQIRI FIRE LIVERPOOL TO LATEST WIN
▶ Klopp’s side victorious without hitting top gear at Anfield yesterday
Jurgen Klopp had said in his pre-match news conference on Friday that he backed the character of his Liverpool side.
This was after they had slumped to a shock defeat against Red Star Belgrade that has left their qualification for the knockout stages of the Uefa Champions League more complicated for the Merseyside club then they would have liked.
Klopp got the immediate response that he wanted yesterday as bottom side Fulham were defeated 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League thanks to goals either side of half time from Mohamed Salah and Xherdan Shaqiri.
It continued the narrative of the side’s season in many ways. Liverpool are not firing on all cylinders offensively, but the progress as a more organised unit is stark and why they are right up there at the top end of the table.
Yesterday was not spectacular. It was not thrilling and it will be unlikely to take up much time of the club’s highlights DVD of the season next summer.
But it was three points and keeps them in the mix with Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
There have been lots of area of progress for the club since Klopp’s arrival in October 2015, but being more efficient against sides outside top six has definitely been a key area of progress.
In 2015-16, after Klopp took over, Southampton, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland and Newcastle United all left Anfield with at least a point.
In 2016-17, it was West Ham United, Swansea City, Bournemouth, Palace and Southampton who frustrated Klopp.
Last season Burnley, West Brom and Stoke City all got draws on Liverpool’s home turf.
So far this campaign, Liverpool have won against West Ham, Brighton and Hove Albion, Southampton, Cardiff City and Fulham when they have had home advantage and it has been the backbone of their strongest start to a campaign for 11 years.
Liverpool did have a bit of fortune against a Fulham side, who showed more ambition then most bottom-placed sides going up a title challenger.
Aleksandar Mitrovic had the ball in the net for Fulham in the 41st minute, only for it to be disallowed for the most fractional of offsides decisions.
Fulham’s players switched off for a second and it proved costly. Liverpool restarted quickly and Trent Alexander Arnold’s ball down the right flank released Salah to run through and slot home.
Afterwards, Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic became the latest manager to call for the introduction of video assistant referees. “We can talk about this situation for hours, but the damage is done. It’s a completely absurd situation to defend.
“In this country, normally you cannot show disrespect to the referee and this is a problem because it’s shown disrespect to my team, myself and Fulham supporters.”
It would have been an interesting test, especially after the Red Star setback, had the Mitrovic goal stood.
Liverpool have only been behind once in a league game so far this season, at Chelsea in September when it took a stunning strike from Daniel Sturridge to restore parity.
You often learn a lot about a team when they are on the backfoot. Can they hit back? Do the heads go down? How does the manager react with changes from the bench?
Happily for Klopp and Liverpool they did not have to
answer that question this time around.
Any doubt about the destination of the points was ended eight minutes after the break as Shaqiri was left unmarked from Andrew Robertson’s centre.
Unsurprisingly, Klopp looked to the positives, while acknowledging his side had made tough work of Fulham.
“Maybe it was offside [the Mitrovic header], but we scored a good first goal and our second was brilliant.
“I expected this kind of game. It was harder but Fulham have a lot of quality and changed their approach. They didn’t give us any chance to press them and made life a little bit uncomfortable.”
Liverpool now have two weeks to reflect on their progress as the Premier League enjoys its third international break of the season.
Being efficient was enough to see off Fulham. Liverpool may need more then that to maintain their title tilt as the campaign draws on, but for now it is keeping them well and truly in the hunt for a first title since 1990.