The Liverpool players and staff were deservedly under fire following Saturday's 1-1 home draw with lowly Burnley.
It wasn't just the garbage result that left fans fuming, but the boring, boring style of play, which had persisted for months. The Reds dominated the Clarets statistically, but Arne Slot's slow, possession-obsessed football did little to facilitate a knockout blow, leaving the door open for Marcus Edwards' 65th-minute equalizer.
With the pressure mounting on the head coach once again, and supporters begging for a faster, gutsier performance, Liverpool lined up against Ligue 1's leading scorers in a hostile away ground. Three points were crucial for automatic qualification to the Champions League knockouts.
Liverpool seized those points from Marseille — and several of the figures who have received the most criticism this season played a crucial role in the win.
Arne Slot
The head coach deserves a standing ovation for that performance.
Post-match, he echoed his past comments about this Liverpool team's success against expansive styles and struggles against low blocks. His observation is spot on, and Marseille were certainly open (too open, in fact). That's not the only reason his team picked De Zerbi's apart. He isn't giving himself enough credit.
Slot got the setup right, which is important on its own. But the willingness to try something new, to cast aside the humdrum games of keep-away the Reds have been playing and opt instead for quick-strike, counterattacking football — that's what was most satisfying to see.
Marseille had more possession, more shots, and more corners than Liverpool, a rarity. As we've learned, though, stats aren't everything. Creating big moments matters most, and Slot's 11 crushed Marseille's in that respect.
The Reds dropped into their own half, dared Marseille's deepest-lying players to pass or carry the ball into midfield, then pounced, with Szoboszlai and Wirtz often acting as the tip of the spear. It led to something we haven't seen in what feels like millennia: open space to exploit. We did just that, often springing attacks through our high-flying new fullbacks.
Milos Kerkez
That leads me to our 22-year-old Hungarian pit bull.
Even his harshest critics haven't been able to question his desire to put his body on the line for the team since day one. There's been no shortage of evidence of his speed and athleticism either.
It's the nuances in his game — body position, decision making, defensive technique — and the propensity for recklessness that have caused concern, especially after nearly nine years of Andy Robertson, Mr. Steady.
Maybe it was the tactics. Maybe it was Cody Gakpo, the left-sided parter with whom Kerkez has little chemistry, on the bench for 78 minutes. Maybe he ate the right breakfast. Whatever the case, this was the Kerkez of his Bournemouth prime, the Kerkez we've been dying to see.
The one-on-one defending and handling of dangerous situations was outstanding. From a Marseille perspective, he was the annoying opponent who wouldn't stop killing the momentum. And he finally had the space he needed to streak forward in attack, whip in crosses, or dish to runners, as he did for Wirtz's almost-goal in the second half.
Cody Gakpo
The Dutchman has had, well, not big shoes to fill since Luis Diaz left for Bayern Munich. They're quick, tricky, hard-running shoes that made a big difference on the run to a 20th league title, though. And to be honest, Gakpo hasn't delivered on the left wing the way we hoped he would as Slot's first choice.
Gakpo can be a difference maker at his best. He's a natural finisher, a good header of the ball with a clean strike and the knack all great forwards have for popping up at the right place at the right time.
Through January, he hasn't been at his best. He's been our most one-dimensional player, reduced to cutting inside on his right and shooting from distance when he has daylight, or playing a five-yard pass when he doesn't.
He gave up his starting spot to Florian Wirtz Wednesday and settled for a 15-minute cameo. He could have pouted or simply put in a 6/10 performance. Liverpool probably would have won by two and we all would have moved on with our lives.
Instead, he looked angry. He pressed with greater intensity and effectiveness than he had in his last five games combined. He was just on it, creating a sitter for Mo (even though he skewed it embarrassingly wide) before burying the third goal in the far corner himself. He was fired up about it, too. Everything about Cody's substitution was positive.
Joe Gomez
Last but not least, big Joe, who stepped in for Ibou Konate due to the passing of his father.
There aren't countless standout moments to highlight, just a 90+ minutes of assured play after weeks without regular game time. You can't put a price on an experienced head playing mistake-free football when one of your starting center backs is out.
If Konate needs more time, Joe has shown he's more than capable of covering him.