Liverpool displaying two different teams over the course of one week. What was the difference between Monday’s loss and Saturday’s victory?
Having played 27 matches of the 38 taking place this season. The race for top four continues to go on, as Liverpool makes it ahead of Arsenal.
There are a possible six teams who could fill these spots. The likes of Arsenal, who the Red’s have pulled the double over, following this past weekend’s result.
The others are rivals Man United, who sit outside of the top four with a game in hand. Then there are neighbors Everton , who have been doing better this season with new manager, Ronald Koeman.
Teams sitting above Liverpool are Man City and Spurs, who Liverpool have only dropped two points from the nine points played for in the campaign to date.
All to play for with things this heated between second and seventh place. Only twelve points separate Man City from Everton.
Liverpool responded well over the weekend and proved they are in the fight till the end.
What was the difference in such a short space of time?
Many factors to take from Saturday’s encounter between two teams in the fight for Champions League football.
One deciding factor was, Alexis Sánchez left out of the starting eleven. Was no secret as the winger was introduced into the game and immediately changed the game and shifted the momentum the Gunners way.
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The world really bothered and confused about Wenger’s decision to leave their key player out. Liverpool not phased and the only ones to benefit from this silly choice.
Another major contributing factor, was playing at Anfield. Important for us to bounce back and get a win from this game.
The Anfield crowd were on top performance during the 90 minutes, playing their part as the twelfth man of the team.
Playing away last week Monday to the Foxes, counted against us heavily. Considering the managerial change and the team wanting to keep their Premier League hopes alive.
They were fighting to stay out of the relegation positions. Sometimes the hardest teams to play are those trying to beat the drop.
Liverpool’s individual performances:
Now we have the key factors from the players operating on the pitch. Adam Lallana, really displaying one of his best outing this season.
The front three, a lot more clinical in the final third and deadly in front of goal, registering eighteen shots on goal, seven on target and three of the seven being goals. Is a better goal to shot ratio, compared to Monday night’s game.
Liverpool hit seventeen shots at goal, only seven of them being on target, managing to put a shameful one goal past Leicester City.
Next: Is the worst behind Klopp and the boys
The defense looked a solid one, with Klopp deploying two central-defenders. The full-backs were far more effective when pushing up and dropping back.
Most importantly, Liverpool were not exposed with the JH hole (Jordan Henderson hole). Can did well protecting the back-four. from conceding three goals to only letting in one, exhibits the advantages of having a proper defense in place.
Next: Liverpool’s inconsistency continues
A list of key factors all missing from one game to the next. The manager Klopp, aware of how the inconsistency will be there and accepts we all need to be patient.
Let’s see if the irritation of inconsistency is there when we meet Burnley at Anfield in our follow up match to this weekend’s great result.