MERSEY MISSION
Champions League place is back in Klopp’s sights after Firmino double
ROBERTO FIRMINO left Manchester United seeing double to help Liverpool prove that good things come to those who wait.
The Brazilian struck twice to inspire his side to a crucial win at Old Trafford that keeps alive their hopes of gatecrashing the Champions League places. Jurgen Klopp’s men will feel like justice was served considering this original fixture on May 2 had to be called off when United fans invaded the stadium and clashed with police. But the only riot on show last night was the one the deposed champions ran over a United side that it can only be hoped is saving itself for the Europa League final. That’s the competition Anfield boss Klopp (left) is so desperate to avoid – and this result lifted his men into fifth place and just four points behind Chelsea above them, but with a game in hand.
United took the lead through Bruno Fernandes’ deflected strike, but Diogo Jota equalised soon after before Firmino became the first Liverpool player to score a league brace on this ground since Steven Gerrard in 2014.
Despite a woeful season, the Merseysiders could still make it into the top four and knew their destiny was still in their own hands.
But it was United who threatened first inside four minutes when Edinson Cavani met Aaron Wan
Bissaka’s cross but failed to hit the target with his header. Moments later a massive blunder from Alisson almost gifted United the lead, when his attempted pass to Rhys Williams went straight to Cavani.
But with Alisson desperately backtracking all the Uruguayan could do was fire a shot the wrong side of the post.
Klopp’s men were playing with fire and eventually got their fingers burned when the outstretched leg of Nathaniel Phillips diverted Fernandes’ curling effort past the helpless Alisson to make it 1-0 to United.
The visitors were stunned but rallied through Jota, who demanded a flying save from Dean Henderson with an instant volley. Jota was his
side’s biggest threat, so it came as no great shock when he equalised on 34 minutes with a sublime finish after latching onto a shot from Phillips before beating Henderson with a wonderful flick.
It sparked Liverpool into life and the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck with two more goals either side of half-time to leave United shell-shocked.
Firmino made it 2-1 in first half stoppage time when left Paul Pogba for dead to meet a superb free-kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold and power a header past Henderson.
It was just the Brazilian’s second goal since before Christmas, but arguably his side’s most important of the entire season.
Whatever Solskjaer said during the interval proved to be a waste of time after Firmino struck again a minute into the second half, smashing home a loose ball after Henderson had parried AlexanderArnold initial shot following a mistake from Luke Shaw.
Jota then hit the post as Liverpool threatened to run riot, with Alexander-Arnold doing his upmost to impress watching England boss Gareth Southgate.
Marcus Rashford pulled one back on 68 minutes before Phillips blocked Mason Greenwood’s shot on his own line. But Liverpool’s Mo Salah struck at the death to settle this fierce rivalry.