KLOPP ON ROUTE 66 TO GLORY
Firmino heads winner to keep Liverpool on course for top four
Jurgen Klopp bearhugged his assistant Zeljko Buvac. James Milner and emre Can collapsed to the floor. liverpool supporters roared like silverware was won.
It was not the Borussia Dortmund-style salute that Klopp used to celebrate his side’s 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion in December 2015 but this result against the same opposition was even more worthy of significant recognition.
A first liverpool league win at the Hawthorns since 2011 was hardfought and slender and brings a place in next season’s Champions league closer into view.
Klopp’s team moved to 66 points and although teams below have games in hand, you would rather have points in the bag at this stage. With a remaining fixture list that includes Crystal palace, Watford, Southampton, West Ham and Middlesbrough, the top-four finish this club craves is tantalisingly close.
The character of this 1-0 win fuels that belief. liverpool traditionally find Tony pulis a stubborn opponent on their travels. not once in eight meetings had they beaten the Welshman on his turf in the premier league and they famously crumbled to a draw when 3-0 up at Crystal palace during their pursuit of the title in 2014.
The prize liverpool are fighting for this time is not as shiny but still hugely meaningful. gaining a place in europe’s elite competition for the first time since finishing second under Brendan rodgers would make Klopp’s fullseason debut a success and results at places like the Hawthorns are often the benchmark.
The decisive goal came on the stroke of half-time in ironic manner. pulis’s set-piece specialists were undone by a dead ball. Awarded a free-kick when Chris Brunt pulled back Divock origi, Milner’s delivery initially appeared too shallow. But lucas produced a moment of alchemy by flicking the ball on astutely and finding roberto Firmino six yards out. Having escaped the attentions of Craig Dawson, Firmino applied the simplest of headed finishes for his 11th premier league goal of the campaign, one more than he managed last season.
After his match-winning contribution off the bench at Stoke last weekend, here was another moment to laud Firmino’s value in Sadio Mane’s absence.
For long periods it appeared that the loss of Mane’s speed combined with West Brom’s application to defence, which meant a back six when out of possession, would frustrate liverpool.
even when 1-0 up in added time Klopp admitted he could not rest because of West Brom’s desire to equalise. More than once goalkeeper Ben Foster strode forward and stayed up to cause chaos. That should have led to a second liverpool goal to take the tension out of the closing minutes.
Alberto Moreno dispossessed James McClean to run into West Brom territory with Foster stranded upfield. Moreno had three liverpool players in support but struck for home 40 yards out. It was the stupid option as well as selfish, the ball trickling wide. Klopp absolved his player but had West Brom found a late leveller it is hard to believe the german would have been so generous.
Klopp’s tribute to Simon Mignolet seemed more genuine, the Belgian having pulled off a fine save with 10 minutes to go. Salomon rondon turned Joel Matip then weighted his pass to Matt phillips perfectly. Closing in, phillips tried to slot his finish between Mignolet’s legs but he reacted well to divert for a corner.
‘We are very happy, 66 is a wonderful number for the next six or seven days. And then we want to move on to 69,’ said Klopp. ‘I thought that the boys, in a really difficult game, did really well. It is one of the most difficult places to go because you can’t feel comfortable in one moment of the game.
‘Somebody asked which scoreline would have kept me a little calmer in the last few minutes, and I said: “only 4-0 after 86 minutes”.’
West Brom were never going to allow that to happen and restricted liverpool to only two other clear chances. early on, Firmino dragged a finish wide, and in the second half Milner lashed a volley over when teed up at the end of liverpool’s finest move of the match.
West Brom had two other good openings. The first from a wellworked free-kick saw phillips cross for nacer Chadli but Firmino got the slightest of glances to make the Belgian take an air shot.
Hal robson-Kanu should have done better when sent through but he shot straight at Mignolet.
‘We had three good opportunities where I would expect us to have scored,’ said pulis, whose side have failed to score in six of their last seven games since reaching 40 points. ‘We’re still eighth in the premier league so we’re not doing too badly,’ he added.
West Brom’s quest for a clubrecord 50 points is looking less likely. liverpool’s bid for a return to Champions league competition is only strengthening.