JEEPERS KEEPERS
Alisson horror show sees City romp clear in the title race
JURGEN KLOPP admitted Liverpool were undone by goalkeeper Alisson’s errors as Liverpool slipped 10 points behind leaders Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s brilliant side blew away Liverpool with a devastating display that earned them their 14th straight win in all competitions – to match English football’s all-time topflight record held jointly by Preston and
Arsenal. It came thanks to two goals from Ilkay Gundogan and one apiece from Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden, prompting Foden to say City can now “go on and win the title.”
A penalty from Mo Salah was all the home side could muster in reply, with Alisson punished for two poor clearances.
Asked what he said to Alisson, Klopp, right, said: “I said to him, ‘We have stands, you can shoot the ball there!’ Look, it’s a mistake, but different things came together. We didn’t offer exactly the right things. In the first half, Ali played exceptional football and was really calm on the ball.
“He didn’t see the offers because we didn’t make them in the right way, then the problem is that he doesn’t shoot the ball somewhere far away from the danger spots.
“He knows that. I can’t help him through the night. We all have nights like this and tomorrow he will be OK again. He has saved our lives I don’t know how many times.
“He’s absolutely a world-class goalie. Tonight some things went a little bit wrong.” Foden insisted the title is now there for the taking. “It’s brilliant. We showed our courage from minute one, and this gives us every chance to go on and win it now,” he said. “When you beat the champions everyone’s confidence goes sky high.” Meanwhile, Liverpool will face RB Leipzig in Budapest on February 16 after they were blocked from travelling to Germany for the Champions League last-16 tie.
The German government has restricted travel from the UK due to the Covid-19 variant in this nation until February 17.