Jota ensures Reds stay on track ahead of epic Etihad clash
IT WAS an illusion which survived no much more than 45 minutes, by which time Manchester City had taken the lead at Burnley. Nevertheless, in the battle of mind games which characterise the best title duels, it remained a significant moment nonetheless. Liverpool, briefly, were top of the table.
‘We shall not, we shall not be moved,’ chanted The Kop and the fact that they were very shortly after they sung that did not mean that their confidence was over played. Momentum is everything in title run-ins and Liverpool undoubtedly have it.
Roll on next Sunday and the Etihad title showdown between the two leading teams.
At the end, Jurgen Klopp did his celebration thing, fist clenched, in front of The Kop, milking the applause and leading the roars.
‘It was nothing to do with being top of the league,’ said Klopp, wearing his big grin. ‘I didn’t think about that. But we can’t give an inch. To keep in the title race we have to win our games. The next game is a big one, we can’t hide from that.’
No one really dreamed of this back in mid January when Liverpool were 14 points behind City. So, they had games in hand but such has been the relentless domination of Liverpool and Manchester City these past five years, that it was hard to conceive Pep Guardiola’s team could concede such a lead.
Klopp can be tetchy at times, a winner’s winner who can snap under pressure. But here he was all smiles and uber cool. He exudes calm as the most intense weeks of the season loom large.
‘I really appreciate the situation we’re in,’ he said by way of explanation.
‘I said to the boys on Friday, the first time we are all together, if someone had told us in the summer that we’d be in early April in the situation we are in, in all the competitions, won one trophy and have a full squad available… we all would have taken it. Absolutely.
‘I just feel like this. It’s not like I pretend to be in the mood. I cannot change it. Hopefully the boys will see it similar. It’s not managing the situation or the pressure.
‘If they see the situation as pressure, not sure I can change that. If they see it as an opportunity, that’s the right way to do it. We created a basis which we could use but nobody knows. The only better situation would be if we were 20 points ahead of City but that’s not possible and that’s why it’s all fine like it is. As I said before, we’re not favourites in any of the competitions we are in but who cares? We will try.’
This wasn’t especially convincing. It was very much a case of feel the result, never mind the performance.
‘No doubt about that,’ agreed Klopp. ‘I didn’t expect for one second we would be flying today.’ It was scrappy at times. Liverpool needed some luck and Alisson Becker at his best. Juraj Kucka will look back on his 19th-minute chance, just a minute before Liverpool’s winner, and wince.
Of course, Alisson was marvellous, spreading himself to parry the shot, but clean through on goal, Kucka shouldn’t really have given him the chance to be a hero. And then, Liverpool stepped in gear for a moment, Jordan Henderson finding Joe Gomez, who was filling in for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.
The cross he produced on 20 minutes was worthy of Alexander-Arnold, a superb strike directly on to the head of the leaping Jota. Indeed, Gomez continued in much the same way for the rest of the afternoon, excellent in his role.
Otherwise, Thiago was authoritative, Virgil van Dijk solid yet Watford were a persistent thorn in the side while Liverpool were laboured at times. And yet they won. Fabinho’s 89th-minute penalty sealing matters after Kucka fouled Jota in the box.
Sometimes, when the title is in your hands and the champagne is flowing, you reflect that these are the most significant days of all.