Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle: Reds win again at Anfield

Jurgen Klopp sprung a surprise in attack

Liverpool showed impressive resilience to come from behind and beat Newcastle, stretching their unbeaten run at Anfield to a remarkable 43 games.

Klopp opted to start without Roberto Firmino, who had played in Brazil’s defeat to Peru on Wednesday. The German likely also had Tuesday’s trip to Napoli in mind, but with Liverpool and Manchester City having already broken clear of the rest of the pack it is apparent that every point will count in the league.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, making his second start of the season, was duly tasked with using his midfield base to provide some of the penetration usually offered by the Brazilian. This was noticeably lacking in the opening exchanges, however, and with just eight minutes on the clock Jetro Wilems exploded past a lacklustre Liverpool defence and fired beyond Adrian.

Liverpool’s immediate response was a good spell of possession, but they were always expected to see the lion’s share of the ball against a Newcastle team largely content to sit deep. Steve Bruce’s men limited the European champions to half-chances for the next fifteen minutes, with Salah and Mane largely anonymous despite repeatedly switching positions in an attempt to unsettle the back line.

With 23 minutes on the clock Origi was presented with a reasonable chance to equalise, but could not connect properly with his header. Another aerial dual caused controversy moments later, when Jamaal Lascelles looked for all the world to have dragged Joel Matip down by the neck, but Andre Marriner waved away the protests.

Sadio Mane then produced the perfect response to this setback, making devastating use of his first real opportunity. He received Robertson’s pass before curling the ball delightfully into the top right corner to level things up.

This sparked the Liverpool team into life. The passes and movement came with renewed pace and fluidity, and Newcastle’s back line were caused particular problems by the marauding runs of the full-backs. This momentum could have been arrested when Divock Origi was forced off through injury with ten minutes left to play in the half, but Firmino immediately got to grips with the pace of the game following his shorter-than-expected break.

He played a delightfully-weighted pass into the path of Sadio Mane with his first real involvement since his introduction, and the Senegalese doubled his tally after nicking in ahead of a sluggish Martin Dubravka. Liverpool went in with the lead at half time.

Newcastle again unsettled the hosts at the start of the second period, but this time Klopp’s men regained control more quickly. Gini Wijnaldum went close to an exceptional goal against his former team, controlling Robertson’s pass and unleashing a looping volley that went just over.

The game then quietened down for a time, although Firmino continued to look very lively. Only a good save from Dubravka prevented Andy Robertson from converting a clever chipped pass from the Brazilian on 62 minutes; he tried a shot himself shortly afterwards, but the Slovakian stopper again saved with his legs.

Firmino eventually got his second assist with twenty minutes to play, doing so in sublime style. His disguised flick into the path of Mohamed Salah was inspired, and the forward did not need a second invitation. He placed it firmly beyond Dubravka, putting the game to bed.

The closing stages were something of a procession as a result, although Liverpool did have a fourth chalked off after Firmino was caught narrowly offside before he squared it to Mane. Xherdan Shaqiri came on for the final ten minutes: the lesser-spotted Swiss attacker sacrificed international duty in order to focus on his club commitments over the international break, and will be hopeful of putting some pressure on the regular starters as the fixture congestion increases.

The busy winter schedule will certainly test Liverpool, who perhaps fall down in depth when compared to City, but for the time-being there can be no complaints at all with the 100% record from the first five games.

Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle: The Chase Is On

Despite dominating for the majority of the game, Liverpool had to survive a couple of scares in order to come out as 2-0 winners against Newcastle. The visitors were denied a clear penalty when Lovren foolishly scythed down Perez in the box, and Mignolet was called upon to make a couple of top saves. In the end, though, Liverpool were very much deserving winners; the result leaves them just four points adrift of fourth placed Manchester City, whose recent rapid decline will give Rodgers’ side hope of an unlikely finish in the Champions League places.

The player of the match was undoubtedly Philippe Coutinho, who by now must be getting almost embarrassed by the number of man of the match and player of the month awards he’s picked up this season! He dazzled Anfield with his mesmerising skill, and epitomised his other-worldly passing ability with a ridiculously clever backheel that took out four hapless Newcastle defenders at once. Although he did not chalk up any goals or assists (which lots of football fans would have you believe means he had a bad game), he was instrumental in his side’s victory. The man who did open the scoring for us was Raheem Sterling – he too had an excellent game, causing the Newcastle back line all sorts of problems with his pace, quick feet and incisive passing as well as scoring excellently past them with a curling shot into the corner. However, he also highlighted just how far he still has to go before he is the fabled “complete attacker”: he missed two very simple opportunities to score, firing wide and then over from positions that were both less than 10 yards out. Even if his eventual plan is to leave Liverpool (which hopefully it isn’t – he is an immense talent with bags of ability), he can surely see that another season’s development at a club so renowned for handling young players well is the best thing for his game.

Another notable performance was that of Joe Allen. Aside from quietly getting on with controlling the midfield as he often does so well, he also bagged his first ever Premier League goal at Anfield to put the match to bed. Having survived a penalty scare towards the end of the first half and then been dominated for the first few minutes of the second, the stage looked set for Newcastle to punish Liverpool for all the chances that had gone begging earlier. However, the little Welshman was on hand to settle the Kop nerves with twenty minutes to play, smashing home an instinctive volley after Can, who had been up for a corner, headed the ball back into the danger zone.

Even the most pessimistic of Liverpool fans, perhaps those who were having flashbacks of what happened last time Joe Allen scored, had their fears alleviated ten minutes later when Moussa Sissoko was shown a red card for a second bookable offence. In truth he should probably have been given a straight red – his studs-up challenge on Lucas, who had a solid game, could have left the Brazilian seriously injured. Either way, it meant that the last ten minutes of the match was a formality: Newcastle just sat back and aimed to prevent Liverpool from getting a third. This they did, but Liverpool will not mind about that: the players doubtless left Anfield yesterday satisfied with their evening’s work.

It’s hard not to play a game of what might have been when looking at the table, but it does at least look a lot better than it might have done after this result. City’s slip-ups mean that the top four picture, which even Rodgers all but ruled out after the back-to-back defeats to United and Arsenal, is now not so bleak – the reds trail by just four points, with six games still left to play. Admittedly Liverpool would still have to be considered outsiders; a trip to Chelsea mars an otherwise easy run-in. However, in a season that has seen an almost unprecedented number of twists and turns in the race for fourth place, who knows what could happen?

Before turning their attention back to this late push for fourth, however, the players have the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final to think about. Tim Sherwood has blessed Villa with his fabled win ratio, and they have chosen a rather inconvenient time to hit such good form. Liverpool face a big challenge in trying to deal with the in-form Christian Benteke, and will have to be at their best to advance to the final. Hopefully they can go all the way though: call me a sentimentalist, but I think that Gerrard lifting the cup after his last game, which also happens to be his birthday, would be the perfect send-off for a man who has been a truly loyal servant to the club.

-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Liverpool 2-0 Burnley: Post-Match Thoughts

Liverpool continued their impressive run of form in yesterday's game against Burnley, coming out comfortable 2-0 winners. They looked in charge right from the outset, and goals from Henderson and Sturridge sealed the three points.

It was immediately apparent that Liverpool are the league's form side: straight from kick-off they were oozing confidence. One of the key differences from the start of the season is the pressing; be it Burnley or Man City, the reds aren't giving their opponents any time on the ball. This allows them to get on the front foot in matches immediately - Sturridge nearly scored within the first couple of minutes of this one, only to see his shot kept out by an exceptional stop from Heaton. Burnley looked dangerous on the counter occasionally, but it was Liverpool who looked by far the more likely to score. They did manage to make the breakthrough before half time: Henderson continued Liverpool's run of scoring screamers by smashing an emphatic half volley into the corner. It evoked memories of Gerrard and Olympiakos; indeed, it caused many fresh comparisons between the current and future captain.

These comparisons were only increased by Henderson's glorious assist for the second goal of the game midway through the second half. He whipped in a wonderful cross before Daniel Sturridge, who had endured an otherwise poor game, beat his man and headed home. It was a typically assured finish, and Liverpool fans will be hoping that it was the start of a return to full form for Sturridge. This put the match beyond doubt, and the hosts comfortably saw out the rest of the game.

It is worth noting that Dejan Lovren had an uncharacteristically solid game. While I still don't think that he'll be able to carve out much of a career for Liverpool, it's good that he's starting to prove himself as adequate backup. Coutinho, too, continued his magnificent form - he nearly netted yet another immense goal, curling one inches wide from what is fast becoming known as the Coutinho zone. In fact, everyone put in a decent shift - Mignolet perhaps looked a little shaky and Sturridge still looked off the pace, but on the whole it was a wonderful team performance.

The win saw us continue to pile the pressure on the teams above us; United's extremely lucky victory over Newcastle meant that we didn't gain on them, but if our form continues then it's only a matter of time. We play them just two games from now – if we can keep up this form then it seems not only possible but likely that we’ll be in the top four after that match. The “81 points” total that is being bandied about by fans is actually starting to look attainable: this is the total Liverpool would end up on if they won all of their remaining games. It is a points tally that has always been enough to secure at least fourth place (it is usually enough for second), and with only eight games to go the reds look capable of achieving it.
-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Newcastle 2-2 Liverpool: Post-match Thoughts

On Saturday 19^th October, Liverpool travelled to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United. They went into the game as favourites, but Newcastle were the better team for large spells of the match, and in the end Liverpool could only manage a 2-2 draw, despite Newcastle having a man sent off just before half time. Based on the two teams’ performances a draw was probably the fairest result, but Liverpool really should have been able to beat a 10 man Newcastle side.

From the very start of the game I started to get a feeling of unease. Liverpool usually come out strongly ad try to get an early goal, especially against weaker teams. However, in this game they just sat back, allowing Newcastle to mount some attacks. If the idea was to catch them on the counter-attack then it certainly didn’t work, as Suarez and Sturridge were not on top of their games and the few first half chances they did muster were not taken well. They were punished for their negative start to the match after 23 minutes, when Cabaye was given far too much space about 30 yards out. Admittedly it was a fantastic finish, but the defence should have known their man. Cabaye is well known for his long shots, and he should have been closed down. Mignolet was also at fault. He seemed to have a clear view of the ball from almost the moment it was struck, but he dived very late. Consequently he got nowhere near saving the shot, and Liverpool fell behind.

This was the wake-up call Liverpool needed; though still nowhere close to their best, the standard of attacking football did improve after they went behind. Suarez and Sturridge started linking up together fairly well, and it was this combination that led to the pivotal moment in the match- the penalty decision and sending off of Yanga-Mbiwa. Sturridge played a lovely lofted ball into the path of Suarez, who controlled it excellently. He looked set to slot it past the oncoming Krul, but before he got the chance he was pulled down by Mbiwa. It was a simple decision for the referee; Mbiwa, the last man, had prevented a clear goal-scoring opportunity. He was sent off, and Steven Gerrard converted the resulting penalty. This was notable in that it was his 100^th Premier League goal for Liverpool, a stunning achievement for any player, especially a midfielder. He is one of only 13 players to score 100 goals for a single Premier League club.

If Liverpool thought they would have it all their own way in the second half against the 10 men of Newcastle, they were woefully mistaken. At times it looked like Liverpool were the team who’d had a man sent off, as nobody could find any space. They struggled to create any chance that looked likely to result in a goal. Newcastle were defending extremely well, and got their reward in the 56^th minute. They were awarded a free kick in a seemingly innocuous position, which somehow resulted in a goal for defender Paul Dummet! Cabaye’s ball drifted over everyone, and Dummet stole in at the near post and curled the ball round Mignolet. It was somewhat against the run of play, but by failing to put the game to bed and by defending shoddily, Liverpool were asking for it.

From then onwards, Liverpool dominated the game. They finally seemed to click, and Newcastle suddenly looked vulnerable at the back. Finally they managed to bring the match level again in the 72^nd minute through Daniel Sturridge, who latched on to a Suarez cross and headed home. Minutes later, Suarez had the chance to give Liverpool the lead, but his shot was just too high, hitting the crossbar on its way over. Despite creating a couple more chances, most notably a free kick in a very good position deep into added time at the end of the half, Liverpool were unable to take the lead, and the game finished 2-2.

The result in itself is not too bad, as a draw keeps us at the right end of the table. However, if we genuinely want to challenge for a top 4 place then we have to win games like these. To have close to an hour against 10 men and not to win is extremely disappointing, and conceding against them is even worse. In the context of the season the two points dropped is not the end of the world, but it is certainly a warning sign to Liverpool that they will need to step it up if they have a chance of beating the likes of Tottenham to a Champions League place.

-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Newcastle 0-6 Liverpool- Post-Match Analysis

Star Players- Coutinho, Sturridge and
Henderson celebrating

On Saturday 27^th April, Liverpool faced Newcastle at St James’ Park. Many thought Liverpool would struggle to score goals with the prolific striker Luis Suarez serving the first match of his 10-game suspension, but they smashed six past a lacklustre Newcastle side.

Right from the kick-off, Liverpool looked the stronger side. They got on the attack straight away, and took the lead after just three minutes. Newcastle failed to get the ball away, and Downing was able to play a nice cross into Agger, who headed simply past Elliot, the Newcastle goalkeeper. They continued to press, and made it two on 17 minutes. Coutinho played a glorious long pass into Sturridge, who put it on a plate for Jordan Henderson to tap home. It could have been 3 or 4 before half-time, but the keeper made some decent stops and Liverpool wasted a few opportunities. The hosts didn’t get into the half at all, and their only clear-cut chance was missed by James Perch, who headed wide from close range.

The second half started in much the same way as the first.  Liverpool dominated Newcastle, playing some lovely attacking football. In the 54^th minute they went three up, Coutinho brilliantly setting up Sturridge, who drilled it home. The little Brazilian dispossessed Hatem Ben Arfa, knocking him off the ball, then darted down the wing before chipping the ball sublimely into the path of Sturridge. The finish was also good, Sturridge smashing the ball past Elliot into the roof of the net. Six minutes later he scored again, Henderson returning the first half favour by squaring the ball across goal to Sturridge, who took a touch and tapped it in coolly.

At 4-0 you would have been forgiven for thinking Liverpool might ease up a bit, but that was not the case! In the 72^nd minute Fabio Borini came on for Steven Gerrard (ending the skippers run of playing every minute of Premier League football this season), and a minute later added his name to the score-sheet. Downing showed quick feet to beat his man and get a low cross in, which Borini then hit home. It was a nice finish from the Italian, who had to adjust quickly to slot the ball in the back of the net. Things got even worse for Newcastle soon afterwards, when Coutinho beat Debuchy with yet another clever piece of skill, who then dived in rashly and picked up a second yellow card. This means he will miss the remainder of the season. Henderson took the free kick, and whipped in a cross. Nobody got on the end of it, but it curled all the way into the far corner! Liverpool had a couple more chances after this, but the game ended 6-0.

Although Newcastle did not play well, Liverpool exhibited some wonderful football in this game. It was a clear message to critics that we are not just a one-man team, and we can still get great results without Suarez. It also gives fans a lot of hope for the remaining 9 games of Suarez’ suspension, as we showed yesterday that we can win, and win well, without him. It was a fantastic team performance all round, but there are also some individuals I would like to mention. Daniel Sturridge once again showed himself to be a great signing, getting two goals and turning provider for another. Jordan Henderson showed how much he has grown as a player under Rodgers, also scoring two and assisting one. Stuart Downing, who is often criticised, also had a great game, assisting two of the goals. However, the man of the match for me has to be Coutinho. He showed his sublime dribbling skills, and played some frankly phenomenal passes. He even made a tackle or two! He looks like he could be the bargain of the century at only £8million, and at just 20 years of age he can only get better.

To sum up, this game is just what Liverpool needed in the first of the 10 games Suarez is missing. It gave the fans (and indeed the players) the confidence they sorely needed that we can get wins without our star striker, and that we are not a one-man team. To see Liverpool at their best is always a great spectacle, and this performance bodes very well for next season.

-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Liverpool vs Newcastle- Pre-Match Analysis

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Today (4th November 2012), Liverpool will face Newcastle at Anfield. Newcastle have shown fairly good early season form, but Liverpool have looked sharper in recent matches. Even so, this will be a tough game to win.

In my opinion, the biggest threat that Liverpool will have to cope with is the Newcastle attack. Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba are a deadly strike partnership, and although Ba is recovering from an injury it seems likely that he will play. Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are generally a solid pairing in centre defence, but are prone to making stupid errors occasionally. They cannot afford to do this today, as Ba and Cisse will punish them.

However, it is not like Liverpool themselves pose no threat going forward. Though we were left short on strikers after Borini broke his foot, Suarez, Sterling and Suso make a wonderful attacking trio. Suso and Sterling are both young, but have already proved they are up to handling the pressure of the big games. Saying this, Sterling was very poor in our last game (against Everton), and he will have to perform better today if we stand a chance of winning.

There is also the question of who we will play in goal. Reina is apparently still a doubt after picking up an injury on international duty a couple of weeks ago, which one would think meant that Brad Jones automatically steps up. Not necessarily. Doni, after taking almost a year out of football for personal reasons, has now returned. Personally I think it unlikely that he will feature, although he was second choice goalkeeper before he left. I would like to see Reina play if he is fit enough, because although Jones has impressed in his last few games, up against prestigious forwards such as Ba and Cisse I think we need someone more experienced in goal. However, if Reina is not fit (or not chosen by Brendan Rodgers), then I am sure Jones (or potentially Doni) will step up.

Overall, I think that it will be a tough game today. Newcastle are a good side, especially going forward, and our defence will have to be on top form to keep them out. Also, Suarez’s form is rather hit and miss, so I think he will have to have a good day for Liverpool to win.