Another dramatic and nerve-racking week for the Reds as this amazing season draws to a close.
It started with Liverpool on Tuesday making hard work of a bang-average Aston Villa side in the Premier League, falling behind 1-0 to a Douglas Luiz goal after only three minutes following some horrible defending from Naby Ketia and Kostas Tsimikas (in for the rested Andy Robertson) and even worse officiating, not calling an obvious offside in the Aston Villa buildup.
Fortunately for the Reds, they hit back almost immediately with an equally scruffy goal and poor defending, from Tyrone Mings, ended with Joel Matip scrambling in the ball from close.
Liverpool controlled most of the game from then on, but couldn’t find the breakthrough. It took some sublime play from Luis Diaz down the left on 65 minutes, picking out Sadio Mané in the box and the Senegalese ace twisted his neck to connect with the ball slightly behind him to guide it into the corner of the net, beyond the despairing hand of Emi Martinez.
Liverpool held on for the win, only for Manchester City the following night to make short shrift of Wolves, thrashing the midlanders 5-1 to maintain their three point lead at the top and boost to almost insuperable proportions their goal difference.
The title seemed all over for Liverpool, increasing the importance of the FA Cup final against Chelsea. For this remarkable season to have significant meaning for the Reds, defeating Thomas Tuchel’s side seemed necessary.
And, indeed, Liverpool began the final as if they were going to overwhelm Chelsea, Luis Diaz in particular proving unplayable. All the Colombian was missing was the ability to convert his numerous chances. Diogo Jota, too, on for the injured Mo Salah after half an hour, had opportunities to make Liverpool’s superiority count, but failed to capitalise.
Thus, Chelsea grew into the game and for large parts of it dominated and created significant chances, Mason Mount and, in particularly, Christian Pulisic, missing when they should’ve done better. Marcus Alonso hit the bar from a free kick.
The goalless match went into extra time and then penalties, where Mané had the chance on the fifth penalty – James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander Arnold having put their spot kicks away – to win the Cup, with Cesar Azpilicueta having missed Chelsea’s second penalty; but the Senegalese, having scored winning kicks in the Afcon final and to take his national side to the World Cup – both victories coming against Mo Salah's Egypt – fluffed his shot against his international colleague Bernard Mendy.
It seemed there would be a massive switch in momentum, especially with Hakim Ziyech expertly putting Chelsea 5-4 up. Jota, however, kept his nerve and the Reds in it by scoring the sixth penalty. Mount’s kick was then saved by Allison Becker.
Thus, it was the turn of Tsimikas to become a legend to score the penalty that would win the cup for Liverpool and the Greek international stepped up to send Mendy the wrong way.
The good weekend continued when Manchester City dropped two points against West Ham – who were actually two up at half time – meaning that if Liverpool beat Southampton in midweek, then we will go into the final matches next Sunday with City needing to beat Aston Villa to prevent Liverpool, who play Wolves, overtaking them at the last moment. You’d have to expect that Villa won’t be able to resist Pep Guardiola’s side, but City did show signs of nerves against West Ham – a much better side than Villa – and a repeat, though unlikely, would open the door to Liverpool.
It started with Liverpool on Tuesday making hard work of a bang-average Aston Villa side in the Premier League, falling behind 1-0 to a Douglas Luiz goal after only three minutes following some horrible defending from Naby Ketia and Kostas Tsimikas (in for the rested Andy Robertson) and even worse officiating, not calling an obvious offside in the Aston Villa buildup.
Fortunately for the Reds, they hit back almost immediately with an equally scruffy goal and poor defending, from Tyrone Mings, ended with Joel Matip scrambling in the ball from close.
Liverpool controlled most of the game from then on, but couldn’t find the breakthrough. It took some sublime play from Luis Diaz down the left on 65 minutes, picking out Sadio Mané in the box and the Senegalese ace twisted his neck to connect with the ball slightly behind him to guide it into the corner of the net, beyond the despairing hand of Emi Martinez.
Liverpool held on for the win, only for Manchester City the following night to make short shrift of Wolves, thrashing the midlanders 5-1 to maintain their three point lead at the top and boost to almost insuperable proportions their goal difference.
The title seemed all over for Liverpool, increasing the importance of the FA Cup final against Chelsea. For this remarkable season to have significant meaning for the Reds, defeating Thomas Tuchel’s side seemed necessary.
And, indeed, Liverpool began the final as if they were going to overwhelm Chelsea, Luis Diaz in particular proving unplayable. All the Colombian was missing was the ability to convert his numerous chances. Diogo Jota, too, on for the injured Mo Salah after half an hour, had opportunities to make Liverpool’s superiority count, but failed to capitalise.
Thus, Chelsea grew into the game and for large parts of it dominated and created significant chances, Mason Mount and, in particularly, Christian Pulisic, missing when they should’ve done better. Marcus Alonso hit the bar from a free kick.
The goalless match went into extra time and then penalties, where Mané had the chance on the fifth penalty – James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander Arnold having put their spot kicks away – to win the Cup, with Cesar Azpilicueta having missed Chelsea’s second penalty; but the Senegalese, having scored winning kicks in the Afcon final and to take his national side to the World Cup – both victories coming against Mo Salah's Egypt – fluffed his shot against his international colleague Bernard Mendy.
It seemed there would be a massive switch in momentum, especially with Hakim Ziyech expertly putting Chelsea 5-4 up. Jota, however, kept his nerve and the Reds in it by scoring the sixth penalty. Mount’s kick was then saved by Allison Becker.
Thus, it was the turn of Tsimikas to become a legend to score the penalty that would win the cup for Liverpool and the Greek international stepped up to send Mendy the wrong way.
The good weekend continued when Manchester City dropped two points against West Ham – who were actually two up at half time – meaning that if Liverpool beat Southampton in midweek, then we will go into the final matches next Sunday with City needing to beat Aston Villa to prevent Liverpool, who play Wolves, overtaking them at the last moment. You’d have to expect that Villa won’t be able to resist Pep Guardiola’s side, but City did show signs of nerves against West Ham – a much better side than Villa – and a repeat, though unlikely, would open the door to Liverpool.
