Even if Liverpool’s return to Premier League play has resulted in a perfect score, the aesthetics have been a little off.
With victories over Aston Villa and Leicester in recent days, the gap between us and the top four has shrunk from seven to just two points. According to conventional wisdom, this is not the time to criticize the efforts that are producing the results.
The Reds need to build momentum during the post-Christmas season, therefore Jurgen Klopp would have like to see back-to-back victories in competitive games when he assessed the situation earlier this month.
Yet, as the manager admitted himself in his post-match media dealings after Friday’s 2-1 win at Anfield, the performance was not quite there. “The result is very pleasing obviously, but we all saw the game and it wasn’t our best performance and we know that,” Klopp said after the match.
It was difficult to disagree as Liverpool barely edged Brendan Rodgers’ team, thanks in large part to the troubled Wout Faes, who scored two of the funniest own goals you’ll see all season. Control was alarmingly lost much too frequently as Leicester’s midfield appeared more secure and potent overall.
Make no mistake: If Liverpool is serious about overtaking Tottenham, Manchester United, and Chelsea to claim the fourth slot in the Premier League, they will need to improve on their performance from Friday. That still represents the absolute minimum that Klopp and his team can accomplish at this point.
Anfield will suffer long-term financial consequences from missing out on the most prestigious competition in European football, especially at a time when the Reds’ owners, Fenway Sports Group, are attempting to sell the team outright or attract investors.
On the other hand, a top team at the top of the Premier League is frequently identifiable by its ability to win even when it is not at its most exciting. Do heavyweights who aren’t performing at their best “get away with one”? Or does the fact that they can still win points even when they perform poorly prove their superiority? The answer to that is all a matter of perception, just like many other issues surrounding the debate of football. Only outcomes are conclusive, and theOnlyly results are inarguable, the rest is debated ad infinitum.
“It was a fantastic win!” Virgil van Dijk joked after the game, acknowledging that it was far from a vintage Reds display against the Foxes. “No, obviously it was a tough one, a tough one, but in this phase where the games are coming every three days, on top of the injuries we have, with Fabinho absent tonight too, we got the result.
“We need to do better, but I thought we performed well against Aston Villa, especially in the first half. We tried to expand on it, but tonight was difficult. But we prevailed.”
Like the Boxing Day 3-1 triumph over Villa, there were at least a few things to laud. Even though neither Darwin Nunez nor Mohamed Salah had their shooting boots with them when they arrived at Anfield on the evening, Thiago Alcantara was brilliant in the middle of the field and Darwin Nunez’s spirited and encouraging cameo saw them combine a few times.
However, as early as the fifth minute, when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall waltzed through what appeared to be a worn-looking midfield before neatly slotting past Alisson Becker, it became clear that the need for another skilled operator in the center of the pitch was urgent.
It didn’t take long for Fabinho’s absence to be felt acutely on the night he was gone awaiting the arrival of his first child. Although Klopp said on Friday that the team was still considering its options, it would be neglectful to repeat the summer’s actions, which consisted of a last-minute loan deal for Arhur Melo, a player who has played just 13 minutes for the Reds since entering in August.Leaving the squad as it is, even allowing for the mid-season arrival of Cody Gakpo, would likely be one gamble too many for a club who are so dependent on the Champions League teat.
Joel Matip declares, “We want to play better and we want to improve on those early months of the season. “Everyone is aware that the outcomes have fallen short of our expectations. We are honest with one another, and sometimes that means speaking a little louder, but this is how it should be.
“We put a lot of effort into our work, but we also want to get better and move up the table. These are our own goals, and we obviously want to finish them quickly for our fans and the team. The comments outside always get louder when a team is struggling, but I have complete faith in my teammates and the club that if a team starts struggling the voices outside always get louder but I have all the trust in my team-mates and in the club that we are still strong inside and that we are capable of beating anyone.
“I have no doubts about our team’s ability. Although it may seem significant to those outside, I don’t really give a damn about these things. We are moving back in the direction of where we belong because I have faith in and confidence in my team members.”
The challenging-looking excursion to a thriving Brentford is the next item on the mini-post-Christmas calendar. The Bees defeated West Ham at the London Stadium on Friday night to follow up their Boxing Day stalemate with Spurs.
Ivan Toney, whose knee injury suffered against the Hammers appears to be serious, will likely miss the match after Thomas Frank’s team gave Liverpool one of their toughest tests last season in west London.
“I think against Aston Villa we had good control if I am honest,” Van Dijk adds of the last two matches. “Maybe in the second half for the first 15 minutes we lost it and that is something we have to improve on but I can say all these things but we will discuss this tomorrow and we will have to improve. We did get the one though and that is very important.
“Hopefully [we can continue it], it’s hard to predict that, but we won tonight and, like I said, we’ve had four straight victories. We know we can get better, especially after tonight, if we want to keep winning but also win more games. There is going to be a pretty difficult one waiting for us in London.
“Clearly, last year [at Brentford] was challenging, and I noticed tonight that they also won away at West Ham. They will be confident, and we need to have that same confidence in our team and our players. Although there are many ways we can harm them, we must be ready.