Norwich win was the perfect response to a dramatic few days

The Reds made a statement with an emphatic win over Norwich.

Liverpool v Norwich City - Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Liverpool v Norwich City - Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

The majority of headlines heading into Sunday's FA Cup fourth round match with Norwich was dominated by the news that Jurgen Klopp was leaving the club at the end of the season.

The match was almost forgotten and became a secondary event to the monumental news. While I understand this because of the sheer magnitude, however, there were some that questioned the timing coming in the heart of the campaign with so much still to play for.

There were fears that the players would feel a new wave of pressure and might begin pressing. If Sunday's result is any indication, Liverpool romped to a 5-2 win, then those fears appear to be wholly unnecessary.

Right from the onset, the lads were in the match and you could feel the passion and energy flowing throughout the stadium.

There were youngsters making key impacts such as Conor Bradley and James McConnell that provided 3 assists out of the 5 goals. McConnell in particular was impressive as he rewarded Klopp with 80 minutes of strong No. 6 play.

A lot of the questions in recent times were put to bed for now as Darwin Nunez and Ryan Gravenberch both got on the score sheet. Both players will be crucial down the stretch of this season and especailly so going into the unknown future.

As I look at it now, I almost feel silly for even considering the possibility that the players would succumb to the overwhelming pressure of the situation.

This goes against the very culture that Klopp has cultivated at Liverpool. The "Mentality Monsters" are a very real thing.

If anything, it looks like the squad is going to be inspired to send the boss out with as much silverware as he can handle.

Now, it must be said that Norwich has one of the leakiest defenses in the Championship, so there will be sterner tests to come.

The next week will see the Reds facing off with Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League. Those two matches could be a much better barometer to what the pulse of the club is. It would also be an option for Liverpool to stamp their authority in the title race.

In the end, it was a dream reaction from the players to a very difficult situation. Yet, for a Jurgen Klopp coached team, should we have expected any less?

manual