Wataru Endo vs. Man City
96% Pass accuracy
1 Chance created
6/7 Duels won
4/4 Tackles won
2 Interceptions
6 Recoveries
The best 6 in the world might have played at Anfield today but he wasn't the best 6 on the pitch. Another sensational Endo performance.
Virgil van Dijk vs. Chelsea
91% Pass accuracy
3/8 Accurate long passes
2 Chances created
1/1 Shot on target
1 Goal
3/3 Tackles won
3/3 Ground duels won
4/7 Aerial duels won
2 Interceptions
7 Clearances
Still the best in the business. Irreplaceable.
“No one would watch a Chelsea vs City UCL final”
“A Man United vs Arsenal final would be bigger”
Then why was this comfortably the most watched game in the PL last year?
Liverpool are missing 8 players who would make the first team. There is no logical reason for them to get anywhere near Man City, let alone look a lot better than them. The Klopp era is marked by unreal determination.
The fallout from the Liverpool - Newcastle game is ridiculous. I've never seen a team be so outplayed and so well beaten while somehow believing they were treated unfairly and deserve more. The fans should feel lucky they didn't see their team lose by eight.
Liverpool took 62 shots and faced 9 in the two games at Anfield against Newcastle and Chelsea and both teams' supporters blame their defeats on the referee. A funny old game.
Do you know how iconic you need to be for your teammates, other professional players, to line up and wait to take a picture with you next to the cup like they're fans on a stadium tour
Alexis Mac Allister vs. Chelsea
91% Pass accuracy
2/2 Accurate long passes
1 Chance created
1/1 Dribble completed
11/18 Duels won
8/10 Tackles won
4 Recoveries
It has been a while since anyone complained about Mac Allister's ability to play the 6. Another superb performance.
Dominik Szoboszlai vs Bournemouth
93% Pass accuracy
4/5 Accurate long passes
1 Chance created
1/3 Shots on target
1 Penalty won
5/8 Duels won
1/1 Tackle won
5 Recoveries
His dynamism, athleticism, technique and attitude are everything LFC have missed in the midfield. Superb.
3 years ago, Ismaïla Sarr was in Dakar at the Géneration Foot academy. Now 21, he's in London. He doesn't speak the language. The support of Sadio Mané, among others, is vital. We sometimes forget footballers are often far from home, often young, humans.
With a simple and effective burst of athleticism and composure, Ryan Gravenberch gives Liverpool exactly what they've lacked in midfield for quite a long time.
Liverpool could lose every game from now until the end of the season, finish a point above relegation and Jurgen Klopp would still be the best thing to happen to the club in the last 35 years. Some perspective please.
30 - Mohamed Salah has now both scored and assisted in 30 different Premier League games, only Wayne Rooney (36), Thierry Henry (32) and Alan Shearer (31) have done so more times in the competition's history. Icon.
There's an innocent fearlessness in Diaz. He has a first touch gifted by the gods, and that's always helpful, but it's his intention after that which really sets him off. It is going to be difficult for Klopp to not play this guy every week.
Liverpool in the Premier League since the beginning of 2018/19 season:
WWWWWWDDWWDWWWWWWWWWLWWDDWDWDWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWDWWWW
134 points won from a maximum of 153.
Something noticeable about Arsenal this season is the increase in petulance, play-acting, and complaining. Talent and potential is exciting but there are also negatives in having a young team.
Liverpool FC asking for real accountability and ultimately improvement from the officials in charge of Premier League matches is objectively better for everyone. Fans, writers and pundits trying to criticise LFC for that is self-harming and generally idiotic.
In 2004/05 José Mourinho's Chelsea team achieved 34 clean sheets. It was widely regarded as one of the best defensive units ever.
Liverpool this season with their attacking full backs, dodgy high line and "something's not quite right" have 31 clean sheets.
Let's be clear. This has nothing to do with Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal or any other club. This is the world of billionaires and their investment portfolios.
Stunning. It's about trusting what you've got, asking for maximum effort, galvanzing your players and believing in their ability to deliver. Pure Klopp, pure Liverpool. Another trophy for the collection.
With the new midfield, the injuries they've had, the decisions that have gone against them and their run of fixtures, for Liverpool to be 2 clear at the top at the halfway point is quite stunning.
Didier Deschamps at half-time vs Gibraltar yesterday: "The record victory is 10-0, you could smash it."
He was absolutely correct. It finished 14-0 to France. ✅🇫🇷
Dominik Szoboszlai vs. Aston Villa
92% Pass accuracy
3/4 Crosses completed
2 Chances created
1/2 Shots on target
1 Goal
1/2 Dribbles completed
3/8 Duels won
6 Recoveries
You cannot put a price on the difference a player like this makes to the team. So far, outstanding.
If this isn't spoken about it's because it's not a valid comparison.
30% of United's goals came in the League Cup (11%), FA Cup (3%) and Europa League (16%). 15% were penalties.
94% of Liverpool's 51 were scored in Premier League and Champions League games. 6% were penalties.
An unbelievable piece of playmaking from Thiago Alcantara.
He controls a bad pass and immediately plays the right ball, straight into his movement to get it back, picks the right second pass and plays it so well Mané is invited to shoot. What a player.
So to get things straight:
Liverpool, having been criticised for disrespecting the FA Cup by playing kids, win in the FA cup with kids in front of a sold out home stadium in a game that the FA decided to not televise but was watched by millions of people anyway. Right.
Conor Bradley vs. Chelsea
81% Pass accuracy
3/5 Accurate long passes
4 Chances created
2 Assists
1/1 Shot on target
1 Goal
7/12 Duels won
3/3 Tackles won
Liverpool's newest rising star just gets better and better
The co-commentator on BT more than once referenced Liverpool "being helped out" by the offside flag. A team being helped by the laws of the game they're playing is a hell of a take.
It is amazing how Liverpool have convinced themselves they have a midfield on par with.
— Caicedo’s ever present ground control.
— Enzo’s dictating control of games.
— Palmer’s inevitable absolute arrival.
A glaring reminder is ahead tomorrow night for them with a display of…
Another breathtaking league campaign for Jurgen Klopp. For what they're up against, for what the reality is at the top end of European football, for the fact they aren't in that group of state owned clubs, Liverpool have been sensational once again. Klopp is a giant among men.
Ibrahima Konaté vs. Bournemouth
85% Pass accuracy
5/12 Accurate long passes
1 Chance created
2/2 Dribbles completed
4/5 Ground duels won
8/10 Aerial duels won
1/2 Tackles won
5 Recoveries
Konaté has been one of Europe's best centre backs this season. Immovable again today.
Virgil van Dijk as captain of Liverpool is back playing a lot closer to the level we know he's capable of.
He's won 100% of his attempted tackles, he hasn't been dribbled past this season. He's winning 80% of his duels; 82% aerial duels. He has made zero errors leading directly…
Jose Mourinho record against Jurgen Klopp away from home:
Dortmund 2 - 1 Real Madrid
Dortmund 4 - 1 Real Madrid
Liverpool 0 - 0 Man United
Liverpool 0 - 0 Man United
Liverpool 3 - 1 Man United
Liverpool 2 - 1 Tottenham
Virgil van Dijk vs. West Ham
95% Pass accuracy
5/6 Accurate long passes
2 Big chances created
1 Assist
2/2 Ground duels won
11/13 Aerial duels won
5 Clearances
3 Recoveries
2 Interceptions
The captain is still unreal and usually immovable.
Last week we were told Alexander-Arnold can't defend because he struggled against Vinicius
Last night he marked and defended Vinicius to ineffectiveness and still found the time to create a bunch of chances and dominate his wing.
Do we only talk about Trent when he isn't great?
Unfortunately, you're wrong.
Alisson - 183 accurate long passes from 1072 total passes, 4.8 per game.
Ederson - 125 accurate long passes from 920 total, 3.3 per game.
In the Premier League last season:
64.2% of Alisson's passes were short
69.9% of Ederson's passes were short
Man City dropped 5 points from the last 51 available and still can't pull away from Liverpool.
Don't let anyone tell you Klopp's team isn't the only thing keeping the Premier League competitive.