Gibson: Woody’s so right for Boro
hasing lost causes deep into time. Rodgers (below) said: “It soft penalty. It certainly wasn’t and obvious. t once the referee gives it, then rd for VAR to go against him. dern strikers are clever. He t a touch and gone over.” visitors deserved ed a point after ng why they are e being d as top- f our nders. r being content t p Liverpool at length in the ng stages, they starting to ome threat of own before e punctured their ir growing belief five minutes before half-time. Milner’s raking pass and Mane’s run in behind Jonny Evans were made for each other.
And the Senegalese forward drew Schmeichel before guiding a low shot into the bottom corner for his eighth goal of the season.
But City re resisted Liverpool’s attemp attempts to go for the kill eithe either side of the break. And as the hour a approached, the Reds started to feel the strain of their midweek work in Europe.
Leicester had f fired a couple of wa warning shots before finding the equaliser in the 80th minute with a move that left Rodgers purring.
Abrighton’s crafty through ball found James Maddison sneaking in behind Virgil Van Dijk and the midfelder was able to ram a low finish past Adrian. But Liverpool’s response was one of champions.
Leicester sub Hamza Choudhury was lucky to only see yellow for a crude challenge that halted Mo Salah in full flow and eventually led to the Egypt striker limping off.
And Van Dijk headed over from close in after Trent AlexanderArnold and Andy Robertson had worked a short corner.
Then Albrighton opted to clear a loose ball instead of allowing JONATHAN WOODGATE is learning about management the hard way at Middlesbrough.
A cynic might suggest he was the easy internal appointment for chairman Steve Gibson in the summer, when Tony Pulis left.
A local boy, who will put up with the constraints of the job in order to grasp his opportunity.
There was no big transfer budget – 10 players left, only four came in.
Boro are a club steadying its finances, after the Premier League parachute money ran out.
Woodgate (above) is the latest in a Boro tradition of appointing first-time managers. Young, fresh, hungry and English – Bryan Robson, Steve Mcclaren and Gareth Southgate preceded him.
Only he is surely getting the worst deal of the whole lot.
Inheriting a distinctly Championship squad that missed out on the play-offs last season and needs reshaping. No Juninho, Ravanelli, Viduka or Mendieta for him to lean on.
Woodgate’s side are 20th in the division and may end up in a Schmeichel to claim it. Mane nipped in to dispossess the winger but was heading away from goal when he felt a tap on his ankle and went down.
Milner’s winner had Klopp dancing on the line as Anfield exploded.
Ayoze Perez and Robertson had to be separated with the striker angry at the Scot’s celebration at the end. relegation fight this season, rather than the promotion push he and No.2 Robbie Keane hoped for.
There will inevitably be a reaction against him on the terraces. But chairman Steve Gibson has promised loyalty, saying: “I didn’t give the job to Jonathan because he’s from Middlesbrough and I didn’t give it to him because he’s young. He’s worthy of it. The rest are just bonuses.
“A decade ago, we finished 11 consecutive years in the Premier League. I don’t think the club’s best years are behind us, I think they’re in front of us. We’ve just changed the way we do things a little bit.
“We’ve brought in Jonathan and there needs to be patience from both sides. There will be.”
Woodgate is the man facing the flak as he learns on the job.
He is smart, open and absolutely grounded on Teesside. The sort of bloke you want in charge, ready to give academy players a chance.
He may not go on to be the next Southgate or Mcclaren, but, given the situation he is trying to turn around, he will need all the support he can get from the boardroom.