“Try to ask the question without the word ‘spark’,” was Jurgen Klopp’s response in the week when a journalist used the words of former player Dietmar Hamann, who had claimed that this Liverpool side were “flat” and “lacking a spark.”
Well, Liverpool provided the spark their season needed, beating Man City in a match that Klopp had downplayed as a title decider but certainly didn’t feel any less intense than games between the two sides in the last five years.
The match itself sparked to life early in the second half at Anfield. First Mo Salah went through on goal but somehow put his shot wide, although replays showed Emerson got a slight touch on it. Then immediately down the other end City had the ball in the net, only for that to eventually be disallowed.
The reaction to the disallowed goal, though, was what really lit a light under the Anfield crowd, with Guardiola involved in more than one heated moment with the fans behind the dugouts, gesturing towards them in a cynical manner ala Klopp. “This Is Anfield,” he said sarcastically when asked about the decision post-match.
With Salah having missed one glorious chance, he didn’t make the same mistake twice when put through by a superb Alisson kick that was more than reminiscent of a goal scored in the 2019/20 title-winning season against Man United that had the Kop singing ‘we’re gonna win the league’.
This time, the response of the Kop was simply ‘Alisson, Alisson’ in recognition of their Brazilian 'keeper who has been the one consistent performer during a disappointing start to the season. Liverpool won’t be winning the league this season, but this performance and result should give them the impetus to ensure it’s still one that achieves a top-four finish.
Underdogs
Klopp's side found themselves entering the game 13 points adrift of the team they finished a point behind last season. It meant that Klopp had said “it still could be, but not for us” when asked pre-match about this contest no longer being a title decider.
But underdogs, backs-to-the-wall is where Liverpool under Klopp have always thrived. Think being 3-0 down against Barcelona in a Champions League semi-final without Mo Salah or Sadio Mane. Think losing a Champions League final and coming back to win it the following year. Or missing out on a league title by a point one year to win it earlier than it’s ever been won the following season.
Now, entering the game in the bottom half, without Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate or Trent Alexander-Arnold, it was a second successive season with James Milner at right back at home to Guardiola’s imperious side. Joe Gomez, rusty when called upon this season, was back in defence. Fans could be forgiven for being pessimistic.
They needn’t have worried. Gomez was the standout performer, producing a front-footed performance that coaches should show to their defenders before facing up against Erling Haaland. Gomez and Virgil van Dijk expertly handled the 15-goal striker, while Thiago stopped Kevin de Bruyne being able to provide the ammunition to the Norwegian.
“Joey deserves all the praise,” said Klopp post-match. “But I’m pretty sure before the game a lot of people thought ‘oh James Milner against Phil Foden.’ The game James Milner played was absolutely unbelievable. And Joey as well, so it means the right side did pretty well.”
The difference?
So why and how could Liverpool produce this type of performance after winning just two of their eight league games, against a City side who’d won seven of their nine?
Much of the talk this season has been of Liverpool’s fatigue following a quadruple-chasing 63-game season and while the physical elements of that are relatively clear, it’s the mental fatigue that is harder to decipher or quantify.
But it was apparent here how much more concentrated Liverpool were. Fully focused, anticipating balls, cutting out the passing lines, and stepping in before Haaland or De Bruyne could receive the ball. It required concentration and this was the major difference to the opening weeks of the season so far.
Had Gomez or Van Dijk switched off for a minute, Haaland would’ve no doubt profited. Had Thiago not cut the passing to De Bruyne, he would’ve supplied Haaland - the only occasion this happened was in the 40th minute, Haaland heading at Alisson, who again showed concentration to anticipate the header, get his body shape perfect and comfortably make the save.
Of course, it also required a vast amount of energy and physical input, which has also been below par up until this display from Liverpool.
Ultimately, the difference though was a world-class moment from Salah, whose position centrally certainly improved his threat from recent games. Getting the Egyptian involved more in the middle has to be the priority for Klopp going forward and this change in role would certainly do that.
Liverpool have played a ‘442’ shape for their last four games now, and rather than the perceived idea that playing four ‘forwards’ makes them more attacking or a riskier option, it actually provides them with far greater stability and protection for the defence.
Injury to Diogo Jota late on certainly makes the options for such a formation trickier now, with Luis Diaz also sidelined, but it might be wise to stick to a system that can get more from Salah and give the defence better protection.
Liverpool won’t win the league this season, but they certainly haven’t given up the season as a whole. This win means they have their spark back.
